Everything is Blue
by hufflepuffamity
Summary: The children of the New York upper class have been spending summers at Rolling Morris lake for as long as they all could remember. Except for Clary, that is, who mysteriously stopped coming the summer she turned 13. 5 years have now passed, and she finds herself back at Rolling Morris, and forced to confront her friends and her past. Clace, some Malec and Sizzy (if you squint).
1. My Ghost, Where'd You Go

**Hi so I'm not dead**

 **I am back with another multi chapter fic even though I said I probably was not going to write another one? oops**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoy, this one is kinda different from the others... more raw I guess? This is my first M fic (though no smut sry m8)**

 **This is actually based off a real place (though it is not in New York). Rolling Morris itself is fictional but the community and lake it's based off of (for the most part) is not. Jonathan is good in this. Title is from the song Colors by Halsey.**

 **As always, thanks for Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale for beta-ing. I don't own TMI.. Cassandra Clare (and I guess technically Freeform) does. If I owned it I'd pay for college probably bc that's expensive and I'm slightly concerned.**

* * *

Having rich folks had its perks. Vacations to Caribbean islands for Thanksgiving, nice cars, and expensive Christmas gifts were a few examples. But in the opinion of Jace Herondale, Isabelle Lightwood, Jonathan Morgenstern, and several other children of the New York upper class, the best perk was the lake houses. Several of these families had two, three, possibly even four homes. But the place to be during the summer holidays was Rolling Morris lake, a large gated community unknown to the world (or even most of the state of New York) except to the lucky bastards who could afford to live there.

The children of Rolling Morris Lake had grown up together. They saw each other every summer for days at a time, and always looked forward to being in one another's company. In their younger years, they were swimming buddies. As they got older, swimming buddies evolved into drinking buddies.

* * *

As soon as Jace saw that the Lightwood car was already in the lot of their lake house, he grinned.

He hopped out of his car and jogged over, not even bothering to peek inside his own lake house to let his mother know he had made it there safely. She probably wasn't home anyway. She usually wasn't, not since his father had been found with a bullet in his head on their dock. The memory was simply still too fresh for her, even after 5 years. Jace just tried not to think about it.

Izzy answered to his knock and grinned widely. "Hey dickhead."

He walked passed her into the Lightwood vacation home. "Hey bitch," he called over his shoulder. "Where's Alec?"

Isabelle tilted her head. "I don't know, come to think of it. He disappeared, I guess. Last I saw him he was chatting with mom's new stylist."

"Your mom fired her last one? I thought she loved Camille."

"Ew, no. Camille's such a bitch. And she has no style. I don't know how my mom held on to her so long."

"So this new stylist..," Jace started. "Is she hot?"

"You're such a whore. She's a he," Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"Your mom has a male stylist?"

"Yeah, just like a lot of celebs do. I swear, gay men know fashion better than most straight women. Like Camille," Izzy laughed.

Jace laughed along with her. He had only met Camille a few times in her 3 year employment with Maryse Lightwood, but she seemed like a cold bitch.

"So how'd your grad party go?" Jace asked, changing the subject.

"Awful," Izzy rolled her eyes. "Dad's mistress made an appearance."

"What the fuck? Why?" Jace wondered.

"She 'didn't know' it was the day of my party. Personally, I think she wanted to cause drama. And she got just that," Izzy huffed. "Mom started screaming at her and then at dad and everyone bailed."

"Why was your dad's mistress even there? Or your dad, for that matter?"

"He and mom were trying to prove to me that they could still be civil enough to each other to throw me a damn graduation party. Turns out they can't. No surprise there," Izzy shrugged.

"How's the divorce going?" Jace asked.

"What do you think?" Izzy challenged.

"You'd think they'd have worked it out by now, it's been 4 years," Jace stated.

"Jace, you've known my parents since we were in diapers. You know they will still be arguing on who gets what on my wedding day. And I plan getting married when I'm 40."

Jace chuckled.

Just then, Alec walked into the room with his hair sticking up in a million directions.

"Hey Jace," he greeted, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey," Jace responded, clapping Alec's shoulder in return.

"Alec, what's that on your face?" Izzy asked.

Alec froze. Jace squinted. He didn't see anything on Alec's face...

"Nothing," Alec said quickly.

"Sorry, I guess I was wrong. My bad," Izzy simply responded.

"Is there gonna be a party on the docks tonight?" Alec asked. "I wanna know if I'm gonna have to clean."

"Alec, there's a party on the docks every night. Don't worry about tonight, though. I'm hosting," Jace promised.

* * *

"Jonathan, when are you leaving for Rolling Morris?" Jocelyn Garroway asked her son while she dried the dishes.

"This weekend," he responded, ducking into the fridge.

"We just ate," Clary reminded her brother.

"I'm still hungry," Jonathan argued.

Clary rolled her eyes at her brother but made no further comment.

"You sure you don't wanna come, Clare?" Jonathan asked. He always tried to make an attempt to get Clary out to the lake, but deep down Clary was pretty certain he did not care either way.

"Nah, I'm good." Clary responded. Her brother could never wrap his head around why she never wanted to go back. And it wasn't like she didn't want to, she just couldn't. She did have a genuine reason not to go back, but Clary didn't like to think about it if she could help it.

"Your dad misses you, Clary," Her mother said to her, smiling a small smile.

"Ha! Bull," Clary snorted. "I doubt he remembers he has a daughter in the first place." She turned to her brother, who was now making a sandwich. "Is he ever home when you're there?"

Jonathan eyed Clary and then his eyes to their mother, who was suddenly interested in where this conversation had turned.

"Yes, of course," he responded hesitantly. This answer seemed to satisfy Jocelyn, who turned back to drying the dishes. As soon as she turned, Jonathan shook his head at Clary and winked.

Clary rolled her eyes. Of course not.

"Everyone asks about you, though. They miss you," Jonathan told his sister as he bit into his newly made ham and pickle sandwich.

Clary huffed and walked away from the discussion. She had missed her friends too. It had been 5 years since she'd seen them in person. Of course, they all kept in touch on social media, but it just wasn't the same.

Later that evening, as Clary had started a new sketch of her pencil lying on her dresser, her mother knocked on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she called.

Jocelyn closed the door and sat down on Clary's bed, something she hadn't done in quite a while.

"What's wrong?" Clary asked.

Jocelyn sighed. "Your aunt Amatis is not doing well," she started. Clary frowned. Aunt Amatis was Clary's stepfather's older sister. She had been diagnosed with stage 3 of ovarian cancer last spring, which had devastated the family. Everyone loved Amatis.

"But I thought she was doing better," Clary argued.

Jocelyn shrugged. "Cancer is tricky. It may seem like it's getting better and then... It's not. Luke and I have decided to spend as much of the summer with Amatis as possible. And while I know you love your aunt Amatis, I also am certain you do not want to spend your summer before college in a hospital everyday watching your aunt waste away before your eyes."

Clary flinched at the words. "So what are you suggesting?"

Jocelyn sighed. "Well, you don't turn 18 for another month. However I do trust you enough to stay in the house and not burn it down. I do not have that same trust in your brother." She smiled at Clary and Clary smiled back. "But this house is so dull when it is empty and I worry you may get bored returning to it every evening. Therefore, my second offer is that you go with your brother to Rolling Morris."

"I need to get a job to pay for school, so I'm going to stay here," Clary decided.

"Your father is paying for your entire education," her mother cut in. "It was a part of your father and I's deal in the divorce. It's one good thing to come out of your father's money," her mother grinned.

Clary highly doubted this was true. Valentine, her father, would find a way to fuck it up and make her life hell. It was his specialty. "How am I just hearing about this deal now?" Clary wondered out loud.

"Because we knew you wouldn't take it," Jocelyn responded. Clary nodded. That was true.

"So what are you going to do?" Clary's mom asked her daughter.

"Mom, I haven't been to that place in 5 years. It would be weird," reasoned Clary.

Jocelyn sighed in exasperation. "You can bring Simon along if you would like."

"Really?" Clary asked excitedly.

"Why not?" Jocelyn threw her hands up in the air. She looked at her daughter expectantly.

Finally, Clary gave in. "Fine. I'll go."

* * *

One would think that in half a decade, something would have changed in the appearance of some of the houses; paint peeling off a mailbox, shingles missing due to a storm, a for-sale sign in front of a once occupied home.

Nada.

Everything was the same. Primed, polished, nice. Expensive.

Fake.

* * *

"I can't believe you have a house on Rolling Morris Lake, this place is like infamous," Simon said for the millionth time while sitting in the passenger seat of Clary's car.

"Save your breath. I know you had never heard of it before last Wednesday," Clary smirked.

"No, for real. I've heard loads about the parties here. They're supposed to be insane," Simon breathed.

Clary shrugged. Jonathan, who she was following, turned left on to the next side street so she did the same. And next thing she knew, there they were.

"Damn Clary... I knew your dad was rich, but not that rich..," Simon muttered.

"Stop gawking at my dad's second vacation home," Clary snapped.

"But it's enormous," he breathed.

"Help me unpack," Clary ordered her best friend.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was already chatting with some girl who had been tanning in the lawn of her house next door. The girl was sporting a string bikini, and wore enormous sunglasses that took up half her face.

"So who's this month's boyfriend?" Clary overheard Jonathan asking the girl.

"None of your business, Morgenstern. How's being single?"

"Oh, screw you. I'll just ask Alec."

"Why do you care so much?" The girl asked, laughing a little.

"Well I wanna know if he's gonna be a buzzkill or not. You always bring your boyfriends with you to the parties, ever since you were 11."

The girl shrugged. "That's true." She took off her sunglasses and then turned her head and saw Clary and Simon beginning to carry their stuff into the Morgenstern vacation home.

"Oh my God, Clary, is that you?" The girl asked.

Clary looked up and was finally able to identify who the girl was.

"Isabelle?" She asked.

"Oh my God it is you!" She turned to Jonathan and nudged him. "You finally got her to come back!"

"I can't take all the credit, it was mostly our mom. I think she got sick of her," he said, laughing. Clary frowned.

"I'm so glad high school is over. Was your graduation as dull as mine was?" Izzy had always been fast to find a topic to discuss.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Probably more so."

"You were valedictorian!" Simon exclaimed.

"And you think that made it more exciting?" Clary asked.

Simon frowned, and then shrugged.

"And you brought your boyfriend! Well today is just filled with surprises," Isabelle grinned.

"Oh no, he's not my boyfriend," Clary said while shaking her head. "He's more like a brother."

"Ouch," Jonathan joked.

"Hi I'm Isabelle," Izzy greeted Simon, shaking his hand. "How's the friend zone treating you?"

"It was brutal sophomore year but I'm over it now," Simon grinned. "I'm Simon."

"Clary you need to come with me and say hi to everyone! I'm so glad that you're here, it's sucked being the only girl in this area."

"What about Aline?" Clary wondered.

"She hasn't been here these last few years. Jon didn't tell you?" She wondered, turning to Clary's brother.

"No, I figured she wouldn't care," Jon replied.

"I do care! We were friends. I was devastated when I discovered I had no way to continue talking to her due to her lack of social media," Clary argued. "What happened?"

"Aline told her parents she liked vaginas instead of penises and her father kicked her out of the family. It was devastating. But we've kept in touch through the occasional email—apparently she and Mormon girl are still together." Izzy shook her head.

"Mormon girl?"

"Well she's not actually Mormon but she has like 8 siblings," Izzy explained.

"That's awful," Clary said. "The being kicked of the family, I mean. I was looking forward to seeing her."

"Yeah, I miss her."

Before the pair could continue their discussion, the roar of an engine met her ears and she turned to see a car speed into the driveway of a house two doors down. The Herondale house. Clary's heart raced, with both joy and guilt. It's him.

"I see Jace got a set of wheels," Clary commented, attempting at light heartedness.

"Yeah," Izzy rolled her eyes. "Two sets. He left his motorcycle at home I think."

Clary wasn't surprised. Even when they were younger, Stephen and Celine were rarely home and tried to make up for it through very expensive gifts. While Stephen had died during her 5 year hiatus from the lake, she knew he had left his wife and son a large inheritance.

"Do you have the stuff?" Izzy called.

Jace nodded and ran over to where Isabelle and Clary were standing. Jon and Simon had begun to bring their suitcases inside the Morgenstern home, allowing Isabelle and Clary to continue talking.

"Yeah I got it," Jace said as he caught up with the two. He then proceeded to take out some lemons and limes, along with a large container of salt.

"Tequila shots?" Clary asked.

"Yup," Jace grinned. He then did a double take. "Clary?!"

Clary couldn't help but grin. Oh, how she had missed him. "In the flesh."

"Couldn't stay away, could you?" Jace teased, with only a slight hint of bitterness.

Clary rolled her eyes. "So when are we doing tequila shots?"

"Probably tonight. I'm pretty sure my mom has some tequila stored around the house."

"And if not, Meliorn can buy some for us," Izzy shrugged.

"Meliorn?" Clary questioned.

"My boyfriend," Izzy explained. "He's 25 so he can buy alcohol for us."

"Is that the only reason you're with him?" Clary joked. Izzy laughed.

"No, there's other reasons..."

"Ugh, gross, don't explain any further," Clary laughed, and Jace joined her in her laughter. Isabelle flashed the two of them a look, but quickly brought her face back to its neutral expression.

"Well I'm dying to get a swim in today, wanna join?" Isabelle asked Clary.

"Oh God, yeah. That was what I missed most about this place."

* * *

 **So this is sort of just testing the waters a little bit to see what you all think. I wrote this 2 months ago but never got around to publishing it because I have been really busy and also wanted to make sure I was willing to commit to the story before doing so.**

 **As for being busy, today is quite possibly the first free day I have had in 2 weeks so when it comes to an updating schedule, I am at a loss. I swear I'll update it, just not as frequent as I (or you all) may wish. Between competing in sectionals (and hopefully state) in speech, preparing to audition for the spring musical and my school's chamber choir, relay for life, and preparing to travel to China on an 11 day tour during spring break (!) I am completely swamped.**

 **That being said, I hope you all enjoyed! Leaving a review would be as amazing as the fact that I HAVE A DAY OFF TO WATCH NETFLIX (and Shadowhunters, of course) TODAY!**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	2. But Do You Feel Like a Young God?

**I doth not own thy characters, they are property of Cassandra Clare.**

 **If I did I would end Julian and Emma's suffering (seriously...save them) (but also no spoilers please i'm only on page 400 if y'all spoil i will coMMIT)**

 **As always, a thank you to Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale (:**

* * *

"Come on Clary, you gotta. You ditched us, you owe us this," Izzy argued.

Clary groaned. "Really? You're gonna use guilt?"

"I'm gonna be using guilt this entire summer, whenever I can," Izzy promised.

"It's not that I don't _want_ to, it's just that I'm pretty sure I'd die," Clary argued.

"I've jumped off the roof tons of times," Izzy reassured her. "You'll be fine."

Each dock at Rolling Morris was different and had its own unique features. The Morgenstern dock had three stories in which a person could jump into the water: the "ground floor" dock, the upstairs dock, and the roof of the shed they used to store supplies that could only be jumped off of if you used a latter to climb up there.

"I'll hold your hand the whole way down if you want to," Isabelle teased.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Will you jump off with me?"

"That's no fun," Jace argued from his own dock across the water next door.

"What's no fun?" Clary asked him.

"Jumping off with Izzy. Do it yourself! Izzy will just accidentally kick you while she's trying to do some bullshit dance team flip off the roof."

"Dance is _not_ bullshit, Jace!" Izzy snarled. "We've been over this."

Jace shrugged. "It's not a sport in the Olympics."

"I'd like _you_ to try one of those bullshit dance team flips," Clary teased. Jace made a face at her, and she grinned.

"Come on, you'll be fine. Stop being a pussy for once in your life," Izzy pleaded.

"And it's not like you haven't jumped off the roof before," Jace added. Clary glared at him. He shouldn't have said that. He was the only one who had seen her jump off the roof her last summer she had been at Rolling Morris 5 years prior to this one. It had been during one of their "dates."

"You've done it before?!" Izzy exclaimed incredulously.

"No, I haven't." Clary glared at Jace again. "He's just confusing me with someone else."

"Yeah, maybe it was in a dream or something. I think it was actually. Yeah, and that one guy from that one show was in it too," Jace trailed off, trying to correct his mistake. "I think it was the dad from _How I Met Your Mother_? Never mind. You should still totally jump off the roof."

Izzy squinted her eyes at Jace. Finally she said, "The ending of that show sucked."

"FINE. I'll do it," Clary grumbled.

"Do what?" Jonathan asked, walking towards the pair.

"She's jumping off the roof," Jace called, now wandering to the bar on his dock and turning on the neon Budweiser sign.

Jonathan snorted. "I highly doubt that."

Clary glared at her brother as she fastened her life jacket.

"No. If you're jumping off, you are doing it without a jacket," Izzy demanded.

"Do you _want_ me to die?" Clary asked, vaguely horrified.

"Clary doesn't even drink alcohol," Jonathan retorted. "There's no way she'll jump off the roof. She's not edgy enough."

 _"_ What are you gonna do during the party?" Izzy asked, sounding horrified. "That's all we do!"

"I do _too_ drink," Clary snarled at her brother.

"Since _when_?" Jonathan laughed.

"Who did you think has been drinking Mom's wine?"

"That was you?!" Jonathan exclaimed. "I have been getting shit about that for years!"

Clary grinned and then shrugged.

"If I jump, you have to make an account on Christian Mingle," Clary told her brother.

"Why would I agree to that?" Jonathan frowned, crossing his arms.

"What's the harm? Didn't you just say you didn't think I'd do it?"

Izzy and Clary both laughed at Jonathan's sputtering.

"Fine," he surrendered. "But if I win I get to tell Mom you drank her wine."

"Fine by me," Clary said, holding her hands up as if in surrender. "But let's be honest here. Who is she going to believe: _me_ , the valedictorian who is too smart to ever get caught sneaking out, or _you_ , her darling college boy who nearly got expelled because he was too busy screwing various girls in a supply cabinet to go to class?"

Jonathan glared. "Touché."

Clary grinned and before she could get scared again, sprinted up the steps to the second level. Her heart racing, she leaned the latter against the shed and climbed up. Once her feet touched the roof, she tip toed near the edge and looked down. She felt her heart stop in fear. She froze.

"Don't think about it, Clary! Think about Jonathan reciting passages from Songs of Solomon in hopes of a Christian Mingle booty call!" Simon called, clearly having joined the others below and hearing of the bet.

"I thought you were Jewish," Clary heard Izzy say.

Clary found herself laughing at the strangeness of the exchange and with that, ran and jumped off the roof and plunged into the water.

As she floated back up to the surface, she was greeted with cheering.

Jace cheered the loudest.

* * *

Clary had denied many things in her life, but there was one thing that she could not:

Jonathan and Jace threw bitching parties.

She couldn't even count all the heads crowding around Jace's dock and the yard surrounding it. The bodies within the crowd were either drunk, grinding, or both.

She had spent the beginning of the party with Jon and Simon, but they soon ditched her to play beer pong. Which was why she now found herself in a small distance from the crowd, happy to people watch for the time being.

"Clary!" Clary turned to find Jace fighting through the crowd trying to reach her.

"Hey!" Clary greeted, somewhat awkwardly. She wanted to kick herself.

Jace grinned and sidled up next to Clary. He gestured toward the crowd.

"Like what you see?"

Clary laughed a little. "Your Instagram photos don't do your parties justice."

Jace nodded in agreement. He then glanced at Clary's empty hands.

"Have you had any drinks yet?"

Clary frowned. "No. I should."

Jace laughed a little. "What do you want? Beer?"

Clary shook her head. "I'm more of a martini girl myself.

Jace nodded in appreciation. "Straight with lemon?"

Clary grinned and nodded.

"I'll be right back," Jace promised, and walked about toward the bar.

"What a gentleman," Izzy snidely said from behind. Clary turned and saw her friend standing a few feet away.

Clary shrugged.

Izzy continued, "You know, it's strange. I don't think I've seen him get a drink for another girl. He usually goes for girls that already have a drink in hand so he doesn't have to bother."

"Really?" Clary asked, raising her eyebrows. She knew Jace was a bit of a lady's man, but she had always tried to not think about it too much. Not that it mattered, anyway. Dating in middle school doesn't mean jack shit, so she had no true reason to feel jealous...

"Yeah," Isabelle placed a hand on her hip and took a sip from her beer in hand. "You two have always had an interesting bond. What was with that thing at the dock today where he said you had jumped off before? I saw the silent communication you two had with each other through your facial expressions. You looked mad at him."

Clary tried not to flush. She and Jace had never told anyone about their relationship when they were 13; in a sense, that was what had made it so exciting.

"Was I glaring at him? I didn't even realize. I guess it was my resting bitch face," Clary lied, knowing it was complete bull.

Izzy didn't appear to take it. She pursed her lips at Clary and then glanced back at the dock, searching for Jace as if looking at him would solve the strange puzzle that was Jace and Clary's relationship to one another.

She eventually gave up. "Whatever. I'm gonna find Meliorn."

"He's here? I wanna meet this 25 year old boyfriend of yours."

Izzy smirked. "So you can steal him away? No way."

Clary rolled her eyes. "As if. I highly doubt he's my type."

"I was not aware you had one," Izzy teased. "Have you ever even had a boyfriend, Clary?"

 _If only you knew_. "No," Clary lied.

"This summer that's gonna change," Izzy promised. "I'm going to get you laid, and you can't stop me."

"I'm not going to fight you on this," Clary laughed. "But back to Meliorn; can I meet him?"

Izzy's eyes scanned the crowd. "I don't know if he's even here yet. How about I find him and then find you again and introduce you two?"

"Sounds like a deal," Clary grinned.

Izzy grinned at her friend one more time and wandered into the crowd of people.

As Izzy entered the mob, Jace passed her carrying a martini for Clary and a martini for himself.

"For you," he said, handing it to her.

She grinned in gratitude. "Thanks."

Their fingers touched as he gave her the martini and Clary's nerves ignited with an electricity that she had not felt in a long time.

 _What are we? What will we be? Do you know what happened that summer?_

Clary hated these questions; they had haunted her for years as she awaited her inevitable reunion with him.

"I want to get drunk," Clary announced.

"You've come to the right place," Jace grinned.

"I bet you can't down more tequila shots than me."

Jace snorted. "I bet you are in for a surprise."

"You're on, Herondale," Clary reached out her hand. Jace shook it, and Clary was ignited yet again.

* * *

Izzy had still not seen Meliorn. She grabbed another beer from the bar tender and wandered away from the crowd and eventually wound up sitting at her own dock two doors down. She was about to select Meliorn in her contacts (named Bæliorn with a heart eyes emoji) when she heard a couple walk into the Lightwood dock supply shed and close the door.

"Oh _hell_ no I am _not_ cleaning that up again," Izzy muttered and ran to the door and opened it widely.

"Fuck!" A voice loudly cursed and Isabelle eyes widened.

" _Alec_?"

"There's no need to draw suspense like that, Iz. I know that you know that it's me," snapped Isabelle's older brother.

It was dark in the shed and Izzy could only see the outline of the second figure, but it undeniably male, which was not a shock since Alec was the opposite of Aline and favored penises over vaginas.

"Who's your friend?" Isabelle said in a sing-song voice.

The male stepped out from the shadows, and Maryse's newest stylist came into view.

"The name's Magnus, but you already knew that," Magnus smirked.

Isabelle cackled. "I _knew_ it! I knew you two were screwing! There was no way in _hell_ that Alec being covered in glitter the past few days was a coincidence!"

"Your sister is very observant, Alexander," Magnus commented.

"Oh, my God, he calls you _Alexander_?" Izzy asked her brother. "You are so fucking whipped." She paused. "Why were you guys in here? Besides the obvious reason." She rolled her eyes as Magnus began to open his mouth. "We have plenty of comfortable mattresses at home. Trust me, I know."

"Can you leave?" Alec asked irritably.

Izzy shrugged. "I _could..._ "

 _"Please_ leave," Alec reiterated.

Izzy frowned. "Fine. Have fun." She grinned cheekily at her brother, who rolled his eyes and flushed bright red. She turned to her brother's partner. "Don't give him an STD."

"Yes ma'am," Magnus grinned.

With that, Isabelle shut the shed door again.

She turned and saw Clary's friend Simon drunkenly walking across the Morgenstern dock toward the Lightwood dock.

"Heyyyy Issserbelle!" He yelled and then laughed.

"Oh God," Izzy said to herself.

"You look awfully lonely, mind if I join?" Simon rambled.

"Oh I don't know—" Izzy started, but it was too late. Simon had already climbed upon the thin board that connected the two docks. A thin, wet board with tree branches blocking part of the way.

"Don't bother Simon, I'll come to you," Izzy tried to argue, seeing she was sober and he was not.

"No s'okay I can do it," Simon laughed again. Izzy cringed, fearing the worst.

Suddenly, without warning, Simon slipped and fell into the lake.

"Shit!" Isabelle cursed. She climbed onto the board and inched toward where Simon had fallen. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Simon, who had landed among the rocks in the shallow end of the very edge of the lake, groaned in response.

"Fuck," Isabelle cursed again and ran back toward the shed and pounded on the door.

"What did I say Izzy?" An irritated voice yelled.

"Alec get your ass out here Clary's friend fell into the lake and I think he's injured!"

Izzy heard several thumping noises and some muttering and the door opened, with Alec hopping out without a shirt and zipping up his pants.

"Where is he?" he asked. Izzy pointed. Alec cursed. "Magnus, can you give us a hand?"

Magnus wandered out of the shed. "What do you need?"

"The two of us are gonna jump in and hoist him up, and Izzy will help pull him out from the dock."

Without another word, Magnus jumped into the deeper end of the lake with Alec close behind. They circled around and swam toward the shallow end until their feet touched the bottom of the water, and then walked toward Simon and the rocks.

"On three, sis...1...2...3!"

With a grunt, the trio pulled Simon out of the water.

Simon coughed and then leaned heavily against Izzy.

"Can you stand?" Izzy asked, not wanting to carry Clary's plus one's weight.

Simon shook his head no.

"Let me see," Alec demanded. Simon held out his foot, showing off his second biggest toe.. And it looked awful.

It was purple, and bent in multiple directions, one part pointing to the side and the tip pointing upwards.

"We should get him to the hospital. There's not much they can do about toes, but that looks awful," Alec stated.

"Why can't you fix it?" Izzy asked in exasperation.

"I'm a two year med student Isabelle, not Dr. Oz. I'm not certified to fix this. Who is this guy, anyway?"

"It's Clary's best friend. He came with her."

"I didn't know Clary was here," Alec said, surprised.

"Yeah. I think she's with Jace. I'll take Simon to the hospital... I don't really wanna bother Clary and Jace, they need to catch up."

Alec nodded in understanding. "He sure was crushed when she left, especially considering what happened right after..."

Simon, who had been surprisingly quiet this whole time, groaned in pain.

"I'll go with you," Magnus volunteered. "I'll drive, I haven't had anything to drink tonight, pretty good for me if I do say so myself." He appeared to say that last part to Alec. "I'll drive and you can sit with Sam in the back seat."

"My name is Simon," Simon croaked.

"Come again? I can't hear what you're saying when your words slur together like that."

Simon glared at Magnus but didn't say another word.

"Okay, that sounds like a good plan. Magnus, you grab his left arm and I'll continue holding on to his right." She turned to Simon. "You're gonna have to hop to my car. Sorry."

"I'll find Clary and tell her what happened," Alec told his sister. He turned away and crossed the same thin board that Simon fell off with ease and began to fight through the crowd in search of the red-haired girl.

* * *

Clary had to give up after 8 shots. Jace didn't stop until he'd had 12. After their contest, they had a few more drinks; somewhere in the back of Clary's mind there was a voice warning her that she'll have a killer hangover if she kept drinking, but she kept going. They danced, they sang drunken duets with strangers, they did it all. But they stayed close together, and never left the other's sight.

"Jace!" Jon drunkenly swaggered over to the two. "The Faeries are here!"

Jace loudly laughed. "Now it'll really be a party."

"The Faeries?" Clary wondered.

"A gang from down the lake," Jon slurred in answer.

"A gang?" Clary asked. She knew she should be alarmed by the word, but in her drunken stupor, she couldn't think why...

"Don't worry your pretty little head little sis," Jon reassured Clary. "They aren't a violent gang. They just are a bunch of rich folks from down the lake that give us stuff to make the party more fun."

"I'll show you," Jace laughed, grabbing Clary's hand and dragging her away.

* * *

This was totally not how Izzy planned on spending this evening. She should've been making out with her boyfriend, drunk off her ass and loving every minute of it.

Instead she was stuck in the ER with Clary's lightweight best friend. She couldn't even remember why she volunteered to take him in the first place. She hardly knew the guy.

For some unknown reason, she felt a _responsibility_ towards him.

Just then, the doctor, who according to her name tag was Dr. Loss, exited Simon's room.

"How is his toe?" She asked.

"Wasn't even broken," the doctor shrugged. "Just dislocated. We reset it, taped it up, and gave him crutches that he probably won't even need after two weeks."

"It wasn't even broken? It certainly looked broken."

Dr. Loss shrugged again. "Freak injuries like these happen more commonly than you may think. Just make sure he doesn't put too much pressure on his toe for a couple days at least."

"Okay... Thanks."

Dr. Loss frowned. "Just how much has he had to drink tonight?"

Isabelle winced. "Did he say anything?"

The dark skinned doctor laughed. "Nothing that bad, honestly. I had just told him that if he needs a follow up appointment, to make it with a doctor here, whose name happens to be Doctor Dolittle. He asked me if he should bring his zebra with him."

Izzy groaned. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Harmless drunk idiots like him make the night shift fun." Doctor Loss grinned and then turned away, purposefully striding across the hallway.

Isabelle walked into Simon's room to find him hopping across the room in his crutches.

"You doing okay?" she asked.

He grunted.

Izzy grinned without meaning to. "Good."

* * *

"Clary! Jace!" The pair turned to find Alec running toward them.

"What's up, Alec?" Jace asked, with slur in his speech.

"Simon got hurt. Izzy took him to the hospital."

"What?!" Clary exclaimed.

"He's okay, he just banged up his toe pretty bad. But he'll be fine, he's with Iz."

Clary slowly nodded. "Thanks, Alec."

Alec nodded and then turned to rejoin the party.

Clary sniffled. "This is all my fault!"

"He'll be okay, he only hurt his toe," Jace reasoned.

Before Clary could say anymore, a loud voice called out.

"JAAAACEEEE!"

Jace loudly laughed and waved to the person in question. "What's up, Kaelie?"

The girl in question was a beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes that probably would've been favored by Hitler.

Kaelie laughed. "I brought some of the good shit today."

Jace cheered. "You're the best. I had hoped Clary would get the Fae experience at some point this summer."

"The Fae experience?" she wondered.

"It's what happens when you get off of the Faerie drugs," Jace responded.

"Your gang makes drugs?" Clary asked.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Kaelie challenged.

"No, no of course not," Clary answered. "I'm an artist. It's not like any of my friends haven't offered me some weed before."

Kaelie squinted her eyes but then nodded. She pressed the drugs into Jace's hand.

"Enjoy," she snapped. Jace grabbed Kaelie's face and gave her a somewhat sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for hooking us up, Kaelie."

Kaelie nodded again and then turned to wobble toward a red headed girl Clary didn't recognize.

"Here, let's go back to the house and sit on your porch."

Jace and Clary stumbled toward the backyard porch that Clary's father had paid good money to have built, painted, and maintained. The pair sat down on a bench swing her father had put in for the kids. It had been one of the only signs of compassion he had ever shown the Morgenstern children.

Jace plopped down and Clary sat down next to him, placing her bare legs that her jean shorts helped show off across his lap.

Jace grinned at her. "I'm gonna place it on your tongue."

She grinned and nodded enthusiastically. Had she been sober, she probably would've still tried it out of curiosity but also probably would've known not to try it when she already had quite a large amount alcohol in her system.

But she wasn't sober.

The small capsule dissolved on her tongue, and she felt her body begin to float.

And suddenly, she was 13 years old again. Dancing with Jace in the clouds, spinning forever and ever, not thinking of what would happen when she fell to the ground.

* * *

 **There you have it, you finally get the 2nd chapter. Sorry about the wait!**

 **Also, that whole story with Simon.. 100% happened to my uncle. Including the Dr. Dolittle part. The only difference is the fact that my uncle is like 50 and Simon is 18 in this story, ha.**

 **Like I said before, I have absolutely no clue when the next chapter is gonna be sent out because I am going to China in NINE DAYS (!) and I also have the musical and other drama.**

 **None the less, I hope you all enjoyed! Reviews are as great as Cadbury cream eggs (YUM) !**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	3. Gonna Keep Haunting Me

**See? I didn't lie, here is the new chapter!**

 **I don't own TMI, Cassandra Clare does. If I did I would somehow get myself a time turner or something, because right now it feels like my life is just this Hamilton lyric playing in a loop ("Why do you write like you're running out of time?")**

 **As always, beta-ed by the fabulous Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale (:**

 **This story is also now on Ao3!**

* * *

Izzy brought Simon back at two in the morning, and decided to drop Simon off at the Morgenstern home (which was unlocked). Typically, most houses were; being located within a gated community where everyone had enough money to keep the entire nation, including themselves, fed for an entire year tended to provide its own sense of security.

After she made sure Simon retired to his room and didn't die, she rejoined the party, which was still in full swing. But after she still couldn't find Meliorn, she turned in early, an act very out of character for her. She found Simon the way she had left him: in one of the many guest bedrooms that had become his for the duration of his visit with his foot propped up on several pillows. She let herself into the room next door and collapsed on the bed. She knew Jon wouldn't mind her crashing; she didn't know about Clary. Clary and her had been an unbeatable duo as children. Seeing Clary again hadn't been weird. It was just as if they were continuing on from where the universe pressed pause on their story. But she knew there was no way Clary was the same Clary she was at 13. Isabelle certainly wasn't the same Isabelle she was at 13. With that sobering thought, Isabelle drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Jace woke to the sound of someone groaning really loudly. He turned over and slowly opened his eyes to the sight of Clary doubled over clutching her head.

"Never again," she muttered.

He blinked away from the light that was too bright, and rubbed his eyes.

"You okay?" he asked, and then winced because his voice seemed unusually loud.

"No," she grunted. "I have a bitching hangover."

Jace sighed. "Me too."

"Yeah but you drink more than I do so you're probably used to it," Clary groaned.

"Touché," Jace shrugged.

Before she could continue the conversation, Clary jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Jace rolled out of the bed, nearly fell over at the sudden shift in balance, and stood outside the bathroom door.

"You okay?"

In response, he heard Clary vomit.

"Guess not," he muttered.

He then began to wonder what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was him and Clary taking shots and then...nothing. He wanted to kick himself. When Clary stopped coming, it had nearly destroyed him. She had been his other half, the only one who he could truly be himself with. And the kissing hadn't been bad either, not that either of the young teenagers had been very good kissers at the time.

It had been over so fast. One night she was there, the next she wasn't. The only communication the pair had after that was through the occasional Facebook message and Snapchat update.

And when they finally reunite, he drinks so much that he forgets half of it. _Stupid_. He hadn't wanted to miss a minute; he didn't know if she'd leave without a trace again.

Clary exiting the bathroom brought him out of his thoughts.

"So we slept in the same bed?" Clary asked, sounding slightly amused.

Jace smirked. "Who says we only slept?"

Clary's eyes widened. "Holy shit, did we do more than that?"

Jace decided not to torment her any farther from seeing her horrified expression. "I don't know. Honestly, last night is sort of a blur."

Clary sighed in relief. "Same for me. I just didn't want to admit it and sound like a total jerk."

Jace laughed. "How's your hangover?"

"Shit. How's yours?"

Jace frowned. "The same. Wanna go to Taki's? They have the best food for hangovers."

Clary's eyes widened. "That place is still open?"

"Of course," Jace grinned.

"Hell yeah, let's go!"

Jace had to laugh at Clary's enthusiasm. She always somehow managed to get him to laugh.

"We're going to Taki's," Jace announced to Isabelle as he and Clary got upstairs. He didn't appear to find it at all odd that she was sitting at Clary and Jon's table, eating cereal. They always stayed at each other's houses during the summer, especially the morning after a party.

"No need to bother. I'm already ahead of you," Izzy stated, gesturing to a take out bag of Taki's she had just brought home.

"Awesome. Thanks Iz," Jace said with a smile.

"How's the hangovers?" Izzy asked the pair, but more aimed toward Clary.

"Awful," Clary groaned.

"You drank a lot yesterday," Izzy said. "Makes sense."

"Here, take these. I remember they were your favorite," Jace said to Clary. Izzy found herself raising her eyebrows at these words. She had always suspected that Jace and Clary had been an item when they were younger but never had received concrete proof. All she could do was speculate.

"Oh my god I never thought I would see these again," Clary groaned at the sight of coconut pancakes.

"Never?" Izzy asked.

Clary shrugged.

"How is Simon?" Clary asked, changing the subject.

"I dunno, I haven't checked yet this morning."

"Is his toe broken?"

"No, it's kind of odd. It was dislocated."

Clary nodded slowly. "Weird."

Almost as if the mention of his name had summoned him, Simon wobbled into the kitchen on his crutches with a pair of sunglasses on his face.

"Good morning Si," Clary greeted. "Have some Taki's, it's great for hangovers."

"Thanks," Simon grunted.

"So what's the plan for today?" Clary asked after period of silence filled with everyone consuming their Taki's.

"Cleaning up. I was considering grilling some burgers or something for dinner. I actually need to get some gas and bait for fishing later if you want to go on a boat ride," Jace recalled.

"Sounds fun," Clary grinned.

"A boat ride sounds fun, can I come with?" Simon asked.

"Well, it's a really small boat," Jace said with mock exasperation. "I don't know if you'd fit."

"I get it. I know when I'm not wanted," Simon laughed, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Oh come on, Jace. Let Si come with," Clary pleaded.

Jace sighed. "Yes, of course. The more the merrier," he muttered sarcastically.

* * *

Unfortunately, these plans did not work out the way either of them had hoped.

Jon had returned to the house by noon, having crashed on the porch the night before with the other party goers.

"Oh, you can't go with Jace. You have to be home."

"Why?"

"Because Dad is coming by later."

Clary's eyes widened. "Dad is going to be here? I thought you said that he's never here!"

"He'll only be here until about 10 tonight, then he has to catch a late night flight. He wanted to say hi to you." Jon shrugged. "Can you blame him? He hasn't seen you in five years."

 _I highly doubt he wanted to,_ Clary thought _._ She also doubted he wanted to simply greet her now. There was always an alternative motive with Valentine Morgenstern.

And with a great sinking feeling she felt in her chest, she felt knew what it was.

* * *

Simon had greatly enjoyed the boat ride. He sat in the back of the speed boat with the several pillows propped up onto the seat in front of his so he could elevate his toe. Jace made it his goal to go over every wake, making the ride very bumpy and thrilling. It felt too soon when the boat slowed down into the no wake zone.

"So.." He said, attempting to make conversation. Jace smirked and said nothing.

"How long you known Clary?" Simon asked, a question that had been tucked in the back of his mind since he had first seen them talking. The way Clary had looked at Jace had suggested they had a history. She had looked almost regretful, or even _guilty_.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Jace asked tauntingly.

"I don't like Clary like that," Simon defended, holding his hands up in surrender. "I could tell you how long I have known her. I met her when we were in kindergarten."

Jace grinned. "I met Clary at a strip club a few years back."

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

Jace shrugged. "I've known Clary as long as I can remember. I have come to this lake every single summer since I was born, and she was always there. It wasn't until she stopped coming a few years back that I had ever spent a summer without her."

Simon frowned. "You know, I had completely forgotten about this until now. But when Clary came back for 7th grade in middle school she went on and on about how she had a boyfriend. It was awful for me, because at the time I had huge crush on her. We never believed her though because she refused to show us a picture." He turned to Jace, whose face gone blank. "Was she talking about you?"

"No idea," Jace answered nonchalantly. "Clary always had a wild side here. I'm sure she had several boyfriends."

"But were you one of them?" Simon pressed.

Jace glared at his companion. "Why do you want to know so badly? I don't even know you."

"Because I've seen the way she looks at you. I have known her for a long time, I know what every expression she wears means. And I've seen the way you look at her. It makes me wonder what happened between you two."

"Why do you care?" Jace asked again, angrily steering toward a parking spot for the boat by what appeared to be a gas pump that was on top of a dock.

"Because Clary is my best friend. And she's going through a lot right now. I want to make sure I can trust you to not make this summer a burden for her."

Jace stopped the boat and jumped onto the dock. "Give me that rope," he said to Simon.

"What?" Simon asked.

"That. Rope. Right there." Jace pointed. "If you don't hurry up the boat is going to float away."

"Oh." Simon grabbed the rope and threw at Jace, watching Jace tie a knot around some metal bar thing and anchoring the boat to it.

He couldn't help but notice that Jace didn't promise not to be a burden to Clary.

* * *

The anxiety building up in Clary's chest threatened to consume her as she and her brother stood on the driveway waiting to greet their father. Simon had decided to stay in his room. Her father would probably not even know Simon was there.

Valentine Morgenstern drove up in one of his (many) expensive cars. He opened the door, stretched, and smiled his fakest smile.

The smile he uses when he's in public eye, and surrounded by neighbors.

"Jonathan," he greeted first (of course.)

"And Clarissa," he grinned again, but his eyes were cold and threatening. Clary refrained herself from stepping back, and instead hugged her father.

"Let us go inside," Valentine proclaimed to his children.

Clary felt the knot in her chest tighten.

Valentine walked into the kitchen with ease and poured himself a glass of scotch on the rocks. He then turned to his children.

"How has your visit been?" he asked.

"It's been good. We only got here a few days ago, but we've already begun to make plans for some games of golf and crochet."

 _Rich people activities._ Clary hated when Jon kissed up like this. She highly doubted their father would have cared if he knew his children were drinking underage. Hell, he probably would buy alcohol for them himself. He was _that_ kind of father.

"And you, Clarissa?" Valentine turned the attention to his daughter, and she watched him coldly size her up. "Have you been catching up with everyone? It's been an awfully long time."

Clary nodded. "Yes, father. It's feels as if I've never left."

"Good." Her father smiled a cold smile. "I couldn't help but notice I wasn't invited to your graduation."

"I figured you were busy," Clary said through her teeth.

"I would've made time. One only graduates from high school once."

Clary nodded slowly. "I'm sorry."

Her father nodded slowly. "I accept your apology. Actually, Jonathan, would you mind if I talked to your sister alone?"

Clary's anxiety peaked. She wanted to jump off the nearest cliff.

 _Please say no, please say no,_ Clary silently pleaded with her brother.

"Sure, that's fine," Jonathan said hesitantly. He looked at Clary and then left the room. Clary heard his feet run up the stairs.

Valentine silently waited until he was certain Jon was gone. He then turned to his daughter, and no longer smiled.

"Can I trust that you will keep quiet?" He asked without specifying what to keep quiet about. But Clary knew. Oh, she knew.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Can I trust you to stay away from that boy?" he asked in threatening tone.

Clary tried not to cry. "I will not tell anyone. I have kept it a secret this long, haven't I?"

Valentine frowned. "Yes. You have." He paused, examining his daughter coldly. "But if you tell anyone, I am not afraid to take action. Family does not trump business."

Clary nodded. "I understand," she whispered.

Valentine smiled coldly. "Good." He learned forward and kissed Clary's forehead. "You have kept very quiet. Keep it that way."

And with that, he left the room.

Clary began to sob.

* * *

One thing Jace had always liked about the lake was that you could see the stars. When he attended his private school in the city during the year, he could never see the stars. But on the lake, they stretched for miles.

Another thing about living near a large mass of water was the fact that sound travelled fast. Jace could hear his other neighbors partying in the distance, but along the strip of houses he lived on everyone was quiet. They usually liked to take a break between parties to allow everyone to recover from their hangovers. He was sure there would be another party tomorrow.

Meliorn had come by to visit Izzy and apologized profusely for missing the party the night before. Izzy forgave him, and now they were off doing God knows what. Jace wondered why Izzy always forgave him. Meliorn was always screwing up, always making excuses, always upsetting her... And yet, she always forgave him.

Alec was at the hospital, working as an intern for some posh doctor. Jonathan and Clary were spending time with their father, and Simon was with them as well.

Which is why Jace found himself fishing alone. Which was fine by him. Sometimes he needed the silence.

And yet, a thing about living by a large mass of water was that sound travelled fast.

He didn't register it at first, for he was too busy concentrating on catching that enormous bass he had seen earlier. But he couldn't ignore the loud sobbing for long. He looked up, and saw a figure sitting at the edge of a dock right next to his.

"Clary?" he called.

Clary looked up and then covered her face.

"Don't look at me," she shrieked.

Jace frowned. "Want to join me? I would come to you but I'm a little preoccupied."

He heard Clary sniffle and then slowly stand up. He listened to the creak of the boards on her dock as she ventured over to his dock.

"Hi," she muttered, plopping down in one of the chairs his mother had placed as both decoration and for guests.

"Can I ask what happened?"

Clary frowned. "You know my dad and I never got along."

Jace did. He remembered that she used to come over to his house whenever she and her dad had a fight. Sometimes she would stay at Jace's for several nights at a time. Not that his parents had minded; Stephen and Celine had both adored Clary.

"So I'm guessing the visit did not go well?"

Clary shrugged. "He hates that he can't buy me. I'm not willing to just take his money and do as he says." She sniffled. "He always offers to buy me nicer clothes and makeup but I always say no. He made fun of my car today because it was a 2003 Chevy Malibu rather than the newest Mustang."

Jace thought a moment. "What else did he say? No offense but that really doesn't seem like something crying about."

Clary shrugged. "Other dumb shit. I don't know. He just frustrates me, and sometimes when I get frustrated I start to cry."

Before Jace could respond he felt a tug at his fishing pole and the bell he had placed at the top began to ring. He violently began to reel in and found that he caught yet another inedible small fish.

"Dammit," he muttered.

"I remember when you first started to learn how to fish," Clary sniffled, and then grinned. "You were terrible."

"You were worse," Jace retorted, but found himself smiling.

"Is there a certain fish you're trying to catch?" Clary asked.

"Yeah, I saw this big ass bass the other day. It was swimming near here. I figure if I catch it we could have fish tacos for dinner tomorrow or something."

Clary smiled serenely. "That sounds nice."

"You wanna join me?" he asked.

"Oh no, I haven't gone fishing since the last time I was here," Clary said, shaking her head.

"You can't be that bad. Come on, I'll help you."

Clary wearily gazed at him but then stood up and walked toward him.

"Okay. Grad hold of the pole." Jace held it out to Clary and she took it. Jace then proceeded to put his hands on top of hers.

"I feel like that's not going to help anything," Clary protested.

"Fine," Jace surrendered, and removed his hands from hers. "You can't blame a guy for trying."

Clary laughed. "Wow, moving so fast already. I'm pretty sure that was about as far as got in middle school."

"Oh no, I definitely got to second base," Jace argued.

Clary snorted. "You wish. There probably wouldn't have been anything to grab on to."

Jace frowned. "No, I distinctly remember checking you out a few times. There was at least something there."

Clary laughed again. "You perv."

"What can I say? I was crushing on the prettiest girl on the lake. Of course I tried to get some looks in."

Clary was silent. She stared out into the lake, her eyes sparkling. "I forgot how beautiful it is here at night."

Jace agreed, silently.

Just then, the bell rang again and Clary began to reel in with great difficulty.

"Help," she breathed, and Jace rushed forward, placing his hand on hers and helping to reel in the fish.

It was the big ass bass Jace had spent so many hours waiting to catch.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he muttered and Clary laughed.

"Beginners luck?"

"Bullshit is what that is. Complete bullshit." But he laughed along with her.

"Clary?" A voice called.

The pair turned to find Jonathan walking down the stairs to Jace's dock.

"Dad's about to leave. Probably should say our goodbyes." He started at the fish. "Holy shit, did you catch that?"

Clary nodded. "Just give us a few moments."

The poor fish was still flopping around, hoping for a last chance at survival as Jace and Clary placed him on the chain at the edge of the dock dedicated to holding fish.

"I'll bring it inside soon. You probably should go see your dad."

Clary rolled her eyes. "I'd rather not. Can I just dawdle here with you?"

Jace grinned slightly. "Go see him. I know he may frustrate you and belittle you, but I would do anything to have one last conversation with my father."

Clary froze. Her expression went from laughter to what almost looked like terror.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said in a tight voice. She turned to leave, but Jace grabbed her arm.

"Hey, Clary, I had fun. I'm really glad you're here."

Still looking slightly petrified, Clary appeared to thaw a little bit with a small smile. "I am too."

With that, she turned away and walked back toward for father's second vacation home.

* * *

 **Since I uploaded that AN last weekend, I don't really have any new info!**

 **I had my job interview yesterday, keep your fingers crossed! I need money lmao.**

 **I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! While it took me a long time to get it done, I really enjoyed writing this one.**

 **Hopefully I'll upload before another 2 months pass, but we'll see. I have finals coming up soon soooo.**

 **Please review, reviews are as amazing as SHADOWHUNTERS RENEWED FOR SEASON 2! (i know this is old news but aHHH)**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**

 **P.S. The "big ass bass" is reference/shoutout to my grandpa, because he once caught one while we were away and we came back and we were like "Did you catch a fish?" and he was like "Yeah! I caught a big ass bass!"**


	4. That's the Beauty of a Secret

**Remember when I said I'd be uploading more? LOL me neither.**

 **I don't own the characters, y'all. If I did I wouldn't have to work over the summer... (Wouldn't that be nice?)**

 **Beta-ed by Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale as always, who helps me so much because I'm a mess and need guidance sometimes.**

* * *

The next night it was the Lightwoods turn to host a party. Jace and Clary had both attended and allowed themselves to get slightly tipsy, before escaping to find each other on their docks, each secretly hoping the other would be there.

"Good evening," Jace greeted.

"More fishing?" Clary asked. Everyone had pitched in together with dinner that evening; Jace and Jon prepared the fish, Clary had went to the store and bought tortillas and other taco necessities (with Simon in toe), and Alec and Magnus were in charge of making salad and dessert. Isabelle was not allowed anywhere near the kitchen.

Jace shrugged. "Probably not. I was thinking of going for a boat ride. Wanna join? I could teach you how to drive it."

Clary grinned.

But after an hour of frustration and fighting, Clary gave up and sat down in the seat beside Jace's and let him drive.

"It's just like driving a car," he stated.

"No, it's not," Clary argued.

"You just need practice. We could practice every night if you want."

Clary shrugged. "You seem awfully eager."

Jace's expression fell into a more serious one.

"I like spending time with you, Clary. Sometimes it feels like we're back in the old days, and nothing has changed."

"But everything has," Clary muttered.

Jace turned to her, the boat slowing toward his dock. They could hear Izzy's playlist pumping from the stereos.

"Hey," he said. "I don't know why you stopped coming. I don't know if you'll ever tell me. All I know is when you left I lost my partner in crime. Sure, I had fun with Izzy and Alec and your brother, but it was never the same without you. And now that you're back I feel more..." Jace gestured vaguely. "Whole."

Clary didn't say anything, and instead focused her gaze on a certain spot of Jace's dock.

Jace smirked. "Plus I missed having a girl I knew I could consistently make out with. Without you I had to jump from girl to girl."

Clary snorted. "I heard you did a lot more than making out."

Jace grinned even more. "I don't kiss and tell."

Clary rolled her eyes. "That's bullshit. You totally kiss and tell."

"I didn't with you, did I?"

Clary frowned. "That was different."

Jace nodded. "I suppose it was."

Clary stretched and looked at her phone. "It's 2:40. I'm gonna rejoin the party."

Jace hopped out of the boat first, and then held his hand out to Clary, who gratefully took it.

"Can I join you?" he asked.

"Sure," Clary shrugged. "But you'll probably get bored with me and run off to have a quickie with somebody."

Jace shrugged. He supposed she might be right. If he didn't blow off some steam he would need to take a cold shower anyways. A quickie might be exactly what he needed. Anything to distract him from her...

* * *

By 3, Clary was seeing stars and stumbling, laughing all the way. She couldn't find Jace.

"Claaary!" Izzy yelled. "Wanna sinnnggg?"

"Yeah!" Clary laughed loudly.

And that was how Clary found herself singing Bruno Mars, terribly off key, until 6 in the morning.

She had forgotten all about Jace and his sudden disappearance.

* * *

Jace woke up to an unknown girl beside him, and his first thought was how much he wished it was someone else.

He didn't know what he was going to do. He loved being with Clary and spending time with her, but she did not feel for him the way he did. That was just a known fact. And he knew it would be wrong to spend time with her just with the hopes that something more would happen and yet, in the dirtiest parts of his imagination, he had hoped something would.

He left his hookup sleeping and snuck out of Alec and Isabelle's house. It was an unspoken pact between the friends that they would take their hookups to the other's house. That way if the hookups in question came back, they could always say the hookup has the wrong house. The plan even included designated rooms for such events to occur. It was all very organized.

Plus, he never wanted to take his hookups to his room. His room was his, and it was to remain neat and clean. Hookups were anything but.

* * *

"Have fun last night?" Alec asked innocently as Jace joined him on his dock where he had decided to eat breakfast that morning.

"Fuck off," Jace muttered and put his face in his hands.

"So no?" Alec asked, sounding confused.

"I'm so fucked, Alec. I woke up this morning and my first feeling was disappointment that the girl sleeping next to me was not Clary."

Alec appeared to consider this as he ate his Corn Flakes.

"Well, maybe you should refrain from hooking up for a while then."

Jace groaned. "I thought that too, but you know me."

Alec nodded. He did.

"I mean I could hang out with Clary and just hope our relationship progresses but then I'd essentially just be spending time with her to get into her pants, and that's a dick move."

Alec shrugged. "Do you think your relationship with Clary would progress?"

Jace shrugged. "I don't know. I honestly don't. Last night I said something to her about how I felt like nothing between us had changed and she said that everything had."

Alec frowned. "Interesting."

"'Interesting?' That's all you have to say about that?"

Alec sighed. "What more is there to say?" He patted Jace's shoulder. "Look, Jace, I don't know how to help or fix this. I think you're own your own for this one."

"Thanks for your help," Jace grumbled, beginning to walk away.

"Anytime," Alec responded in between bites of Corn Flakes.

* * *

Jace's resolution had been to avoid Clary. And he did. For a few days. Yet Jace couldn't quit Clary so easily... But more on that later.

Clary had noticed. She would say hi and he would turn away. She waited by her dock hoping he'd meet her for a third day in a row but he didn't show.

It upset her more than she knew it should have.

Clary tried to everything she could to distract herself from the confusion, which was how she found herself in her room with Isabelle.

"This place looks exactly the same," Isabelle breathed. "Even the sheets look the same."

"Probably are," Clary shrugged. "I doubt my dad touched this room after I left. Which is why I need your help."

"With what?" Isabelle wondered.

"I desperately need to redecorate my room."

Isabelle nodded. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

They made a day of it. They bought paint, new pillows, new sheets, new knick knacks to decorate Clary's drawers.

They covered up the pale pink color Clary's walls to have with a forest green. They placed her new simple white sheets onto her bed, and placed her gold pillows among her white ones.

While placing the random decorations they had bought on her dresser and night side table, they also decided to search through the drawers to see if they'd find anything interesting that 13 year old Clary thought important to store.

"What's this?" Izzy asked, and Clary turned. Her heart twisted. It was a ring. But not just any ring; it was Jace's ring.

 _"I want you to have this," Jace had said. He held out a ring decorated with an H and two herons._

 _"What is it?" Clary wondered._

 _"It's a ring," Jace grinned._

 _"I know that, smartass. Why is there an H?"_

 _Jace shrugged. "It's my family ring. My dad always told me to give to someone special when the time came."_

 _Clary's heart had soared. "Oh, Jace. It's wonderful. I love it!" She placed it on her finger, only to find it was far too big. But she didn't mind. All that mattered was Jace had given it to her and called her special._

 _2 weeks later, Clary was gone. 3 weeks later, Stephen Herondale was dead._

"Oh, I don't remember," Clary lied.

"It's pretty," Isabelle said.

"Let me see it," Clary requested, itching to get her hands on what had once been her proudest possession.

Isabelle handed her the ring, and Clary found herself carefully examining the metal. She then carefully placed the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

"It's almost like you're Cinderella," joked Isabelle. "But who is your prince?"

Clary shrugged. "I'll be my own prince."

They continued to redecorate until the room looked perfect, taking several selfies along the way.

"It looks so good!" Isabelle exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"It really does. Thanks, Izzy." Clary grinned.

* * *

That evening, Clary couldn't sleep. After trying (and failing) to fall asleep, she decided to take a late night swim. She quietly changed into her bikini and threw an old t-shirt that was practically a dress on her over it. But as she ventured toward her dock, she found Jace sitting on the edge of his, drinking a beer.

"Are you still avoiding me?" Clary called out to him. He was so startled that he fell into the lake.

"Jace!" she screamed, running toward him.

He broke through the surface, coughing.

"I spilled my beer," he grumbled. Clary carefully reached into the lake and grabbed the now empty beer bottle.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Jace got out of the lake and grabbed a towel from the chest that was used for storage.

"I'm sorry I avoided you," he said.

"Why? What did I do?" she wondered.

Jace swallowed. "Not a thing. Trust me, it's all me. I just needed a few days to think."

"You're full of shit," Clary said, squinting her eyes.

"That's the best explanation I got," Jace shrugged. He then noticed the glittering object on Clary's ring finger. "What's that? Got a strapping young gentleman waiting for you back home?"

"God, no," Clary said. She glanced down. "It's actually, uh, yours."

"Mine?" Jace asked, gently taking Clary's hand to look closer. His eyes slowly widened. "Is that?"

"Yeah, it's that family ring of yours. I found it while cleaning my room."

"That's so weird," Jace said.

"Do you want it back?" she asked.

"No, no. It suits you."

"That line came straight from a Hallmark movie and you know it," Clary said with an eye roll, hiding how happy the statement made her.

"Guilty," Jace said, holding up his hands in surrender.

"It's a little early for you to be offering me a ring, don't you think?"

Clary laughed and he joined her until they settled in comfortable silence.

"Is there any chance you'd give me another lesson?" Clary asked him.

"On how to drive a boat?"

Clary nodded. "I know I lost my patience last time, but I really do wanna know so I can buy custard at the beach whenever I want without being judged."

Jace laughed. "Understandable. Alright. I'll give you another lesson. But only if you don't threaten to kill me again."

"I promise I won't threaten to kill you more than 5 times," Clary solemnly swore.

* * *

Clary kept her promise (somewhat.) And that was how the pair spent their time the next few weeks. Every other evening, Clary would attempt to drive Jace's boat. The nights they weren't taking turns driving the boat, they were most likely getting drunk and partying. Jace hadn't hooked up with another girl since that night.

Life went on...

* * *

"Little sister, put away those Frosted Flakes. I have a better idea for breakfast today," said Jonathan as he walked into the kitchen.

"Like what?" Clary asked, her suspicion evident.

"You will never believe what I found in the basement a few days ago," Jonathan started.

"What?" Clary wondered. The possibilities of what Jonathan could've found in the basement were endless — Clary knew from experience.

"I found a fucking griddle."

Clary raised her eyebrows.

"That's right, little sis; we're gonna attempt to make pancakes for breakfast this morning."

Clary laughed. "And by we, you mean me don't you?"

Jonathan smiled and pinched Clary's cheeks. "You know me so well."

Clary rolled her eyes. "How very misogynistic of you."

Lucky for both of them, Clary didn't set the house on fire, and they actually found themselves eating chocolate chip pancakes that morning.

"Morning Simon," Clary chirped as her friend walked into the conjoined kitchen and dining room. He hardly even walked without a limp; his toe had healed pretty quickly considering the fact that only three weeks had passed since he'd injured it.

"Hey," he nodded. He was already dressed, Clary noticed. That was rare.

"Clary, can I talk to you?" he asked.

"Should I go?" Jon asked. "Just say the word."

"I mean you don't _have_ to," Simon started.

"No, it's okay. I wanted to go for an early morning swim anyway." With that Jon got out of his seat, waved to the pair, and trudged out the kitchen to his room.

"What's up?" Clary asked.

Simon laughed a little. "Rebecca got engaged."

Clary's eyes widened. "Holy shit, seriously? When did this happen?"

"A few nights ago apparently."

"Is it that guy that she met her first day of college?" Clary asked. Simon nodded. "That's so cute."

Simon nodded. "Maia and Jordan also just bought a new apartment and want me to room with them."

Clary grinned. "Wow. So much is happening back home. Do you have to go back to sign the lease and then come back? That's fine if you do."

Simon sighed. "Clary, my life is back in Brooklyn. And while I like it here, I don't fit in here. I really don't. I don't know these people. I want to go home to spend time with my family and Maia and Jordan and rehearse with my band. That's how I want to spend my summer."

"Are you asking me permission to leave?" Clary asked, astonished.

Simon shrugged. "You invited me. I don't want to seem ungrateful."

Clary laughed. "You're ridiculous. Of course you can leave. I'll miss you, and I think everyone else will too. They liked you. But of course you can leave. You're an adult, for God's sake."

Simon smiled. "Thanks, Clary."

* * *

"You know, it's a shame Simon had to leave. I liked him," Isabelle remarked while Clary and her sipped margaritas with their feet dipped into the lake. "He was funny."

"Yeah, I miss him already. He always seems to know when I'm in a bad mood," Clary said.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a mournful Lana Del Rey song blasting from the speakers, cutting off the playlist the pair had been listening to and occasionally singing along with. Clary wouldn't have been able to name the song; they all sounded the same to her.

"Someone's calling me," Isabelle frowned as she hoisted herself up and walked toward her phone.

"Hello?" Isabelle greeted. She frowned for a second but then her face split into a large grin.

"Oh my God, how are you?" she squealed. Clary raised her eyebrows at her but Isabelle ignored her.

"Of course I can do that for you, I would love to." Isabelle stopped to listen again. "Sounds great! I can't wait to see you! Okay! Bye girlie! See you soon!" Isabelle took her phone away from her ear and ended the call.

"Who was that?" Clary asked.

"That was Aline. She wants us to help her break into her parents house."

"I'm in," Clary said immediately.

* * *

Breaking into the Penhallow vacation home was very easy, it turned out. After doing some quick research by bribing a few housekeepers, the pair learned Patrick Penhallow was on a business trip in Thailand for the next month and Jia Penhallow was on sabbatical in Europe. The couple was not set to visit their vacation home until the first weekend in August.

They found the spare key to the house under the rug.

"You'd think they'd have tighter security since they are probably one of the richest couples in the community with one of the nicest houses," Clary commented.

"Their loss, our gain," Isabelle grinned. Clary grinned back.

Isabelle called Aline from the Penhallow living room as her and Clary watched _Friends_ on the 80" flat screen TV.

"She's about 20 minutes away," Izzy told Clary after she got off the phone.

"How long is she planning to stay?" Clary wondered.

"She wants to be here during the 4th. I don't know when she'd leave after. There really isn't any rush."

"Why the 4th?" Clary laughed.

"Why the 4th?" Isabelle echoed in horror. "The 4th of July is the highlight of the year out here! Surely you remember that!" Isabelle exclaimed.

Clary shrugged. "I guess it had slipped my mind." But now that Isabelle mentioned it, flashes of loud parties throughout the neighborhood, fireworks, and her dad's shouting flashed throughout her mind. The 4th of July was an exciting time of the year indeed.

A knock at the door interrupted the two and they nearly knocked each other over running to the door.

"Aline!" they both screamed as their friend greeted them on the other side.

Aline screamed with them and pulled the two into a hug.

"I can't believe the girls are all back in the same place again," Aline said excitedly. "I missed you two like crazy. Especially you, miss Haven't-Seen-You-Since-8th-Grade!"

Clary laughed. "Yeah, sorry that I've been a bit of a stranger."

"I have someone I want you two to meet," Aline said, gestured to a blonde girl that had been waiting in the car and was now standing behind Aline. "This is Helen."

"The girlfriend!" Isabelle exclaimed.

"That's me," Helen responded.

"It's so wonderful to meet you," Clary said. "Come on in, you two. I shouldn't even be inviting you to come in, this is Aline's house."

"Not even," Aline muttered as she followed Clary and Isabelle inside.

"Come on! Watch some _Friends_ with us! We just started a new episode."

And that was just what the four girls did. They drank some of the Penhallow's most expensive wine, caught up on their lives, and watched sitcoms into the early hours.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed! I know this is more of a filler chapter but trust me shits gonna go down soon fam I swear.**

 **I'm done with school and working 4 days a week but I still have more time to do things so hella.**

 **And y'all know how I put in things from my own life in this story so here's this chapter's: My uncle won a griddle last year in some raffle and uses it all the time. Also, the whole 4th of July thing is 100% legit. On the lake this story is based off of, it's LIT during the 4th of July and it's super entertaining to watch all the drunk people. So stay tuned.**

 **Please review, I love hearing from you guys and hearing your theories. Some people (not gonna name names) might be on to figuring out what happened in the past, but who can say.**

 **Reviews are better than FINALLY HAVING TIME TO READ!**

 **Until next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	5. I Wouldn't Leave You If You'd Let Me

**Bet y'all lost your shit when you saw that I already updated (;**

 **A thank you, as always, to my beta Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale.**

 **I don't own the characters. If I did I would use the money to go on vacation to Europe. That'd be lit.**

* * *

Aline was greeted warmly by everyone. Everyone was happy to see her again and catch up. Helen, unlike Simon, had fit right in and everyone immediately took her under their wing.

"Helen Blackthorn?" Magnus had greeted her during the first dinner Aline and Helen had with the gang since arriving.

"Magnus?" she responded.

"How are you?" he had chuckled.

"How do you know Magnus?" Alec politely asked Helen.

"We're old family friends. He was my foster brother for a while."

"Her family was probably the nicest foster family I lived with," Magnus added.

"What a small world," Isabelle commented.

* * *

Meanwhile, the boating lessons continued, growing endlessly frustrating as each went by. Clary was partially being such a slow learner because she wanted an excuse to spend time with Jace, but a part of her could not bring herself to learn because she was too anxious to.

"I don't get it. I don't know why I can't learn this," Clary groaned (and lied. She knew _exactly_ why.)

"I don't get it either," Jace frowned. "You seem to know what you're doing, but when it comes to actually doing it, you make small mistakes or freeze up."

Clary shrugged. Jace didn't know, _couldn't_ know the reality of the situation. Jace didn't know the fear that squeezed her heart when she heard the boat's motor running. When Jace had first offered to take her on a boat ride in the summer, she didn't think she'd still be so afraid of boats. But she was. And driving one just made it worse.

 _Terror. Pure terror. That was what she remembered most._

 _"Get up!" her father had yelled after bursting into her room. She shook in fear; she knew all too well what her father was capable of._

 _When she didn't get out of bed fast enough, he grabbed her and lifted her over his shoulder, her arms and chest dangling over his back. She watched as they exited the house, climbed down the porch, and walked toward the dock, where he plopped her into a seat on the motor boat._

 _"Put these on," her father instructed gruffly, tossing her ankle weights that some people used for exercise. She could barely lift her legs with them on._

 _"Now turn around," Valentine ordered. She did. "Hold out your arms toward me."_

 _Clary reached behind her. She felt Valentine bring the two arms closer together and then felt pain in wrists as something tightened around them. She tried to move her wrists, but found she couldn't. They were being held in place. She turned back toward her father and found him turning on the boat motor and backing up._

 _No one was on the lake that early. She noticed the time when her father dragged her out of her room; it was a quarter to 5 o'clock in the morning._

 _Her father calmly steered the boat out of the dock. Clary noticed he was driving away from the no wake zone, toward a row of houses. She distinctly remembered being told by her mother (back when Valentine and her mother were still married) that the lake was very, very deep over there and to never ever go near that part of the lake unless she was with an adult and she had her life jacket and floaties on._

 _Now she had neither. She wasn't even in a swim suit—she was still wearing the thin pajamas she had worn to bed._

 _Valentine stopped the boat, and anchored it. He looked at her with pure disgust. Never how a father should look at his daughter._

 _"I wish your mother hadn't opened her legs the night you were conceived. It would've saved me so much trouble," he spat. He grabbed Clary's arms and she had to resist the urge to scream. He lifted her easily, and took her to the edge of the boat, where he set her down again. He sat down beside her. He began to work on something behind him, but continued to maintain eye contact with her as his arms reached behind him._

 _"Do you really hate me?" he had asked. "Like you said you do last night?"_

Well you just said you regretted my existence a minute ago _, Clary thought. Instead she didn't respond. Valentine glared at her._

 _"I have been nothing but good to you and your brother and your ungrateful mother. I have always provided for you both, showering you with gifts." He frowned. "I have a gift for you now. Would you like it?"_

 _Clary felt the need to scream again. Something inside her screamed that she did not want this gift._

 _Without warning, Valentine lunged at her and grabbed her arms. He forcefully plunged her entirely into the water, one hand gripping her shoulder and the other placed on her head._

 _She screamed for help under the water, her lungs threatening to give out right there. She tried to kick her legs but found them too heavy to kick. She tried to free her arms but to no success. She knew was going to die if her father let go of her._

 _Valentine pulled Clary out of the water, and Clary immediately thought of how this was impossible. Surely, Clary's weight would have dragged him in as well? But then she saw a rope tied around his waist, keeping him tied to the boat. That must've been what he was doing when he was talking to her._

 _"This is what happens when you stick your nose into someone else's business," her father hissed at her. Clary started to cry. Valentine shoved her under the water a second time._

 _Clary again tried to kick and free herself until she felt Valentine's grip on her shoulder loosen and her heart raced even more. She couldn't hold her breath any longer._

 _Valentine pulled her out again._

 _"I'm going easy on you, you know. I couldn't have just pointed a gun to your head and pulled the trigger. But instead, I'm letting you live. Call it my fatherly affection toward you."_

 _And he then dunked Clary in the water again._

 _Clary didn't fight this time. She was tired. She could feel the weights around her ankles pulling her down, down, down. Her lungs began to run out of air. All she could think about is how she wished it would just end. She went from fighting for survival to hoping her father would just let go, and allow her to sink the bottom and go to sleep forever._

 _Her father pulled her out again and Clary took a huge breath, coughing and sputtering._

 _"You will not return. You are no longer welcome here," Valentine growled. "You will pack your bags and leave. Today. And you will never, ever tell anyone of what happened today or before today. Or else, I will let go the next time. Agreed?"_

 _Clary started to cry again. She saw her father grin out of the corner of her eye; he knew she had received the message._

 _"Agreed," she coughed._

 _By noon, she was all packed. Her mom had picked her up. She had left Jace's ring behind. She didn't even say goodbye. She was too scared Valentine would jump to conclusions if he saw Clary talking to any of her friends and kill her._

These memories haunted her in screaming technicolor every time she saw that damn boat. Memories that she had repressed for many, many years but resurface more consistently every lesson. She didn't know why she was afraid of the boat, and not the actual lake. Surely, it would make more sense to be afraid of where she had nearly died instead what had taken her there? Maybe it was the fear of unknown that haunts her more than the actual act.

"I think I'm done for today," Clary surrendered.

Normally, Jace would simply nod, take control of the boat, and take them home. But not today.

"I don't think we need to call it day just yet. I think you just need a break." He paused. "I think I might have a solution. I need you to dock the boat. You can do that, right?"

"In the middle of the lake?" Clary asked.

"It's late at night, the only people who are on the lake at this time are people at parties, and the only party going on right now has its own section of the lake to themselves."

Clary nodded, and hesitantly parked the boat but was unable to throw in the anchor. All she think about was how all those years ago, she could've been like that anchor, sinking to the bottom, possibly never to be found...

Jace saw her struggle and helped her drop the anchor into the water without any questions. She was grateful.

"What next?" she asked, and turned to find that Jace had taken out a blanket and laid it on the floor of the boat, and then lied down on top of it.

"I've always found that the stars are exceptionally bright here."

Clary smiled at him and lied down next to him, staring up at the sky.

"A little known fact about me is that I am expert astrologist."

Clary felt herself begin to relax as she laughed. "I highly doubt that."

"You don't believe me?" Jace asked. Clary shook her head no. He pointed upward.

"Well I know that the series of stars over there are telling stories about us. Prophecies, even. Many just don't know how to read them."

"And you do?" Clary laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that one tells of your um, aura. It says that you have a nice rack."

Clary snorted. "Well, they're wrong there."

Jace frowned at her. "Such negativity. That star over there says that you have pretty eyes."

"I had no idea stars were so complimentary," Clary deadpanned.

"That's what I've been telling you," Jace teased. "Few are able to read what these stars say. I am one of the blessed few."

"Blessed has to be the whitest word," Clary commented.

Jace nodded. "Now that constellation over there is in the shape of a shovel, how wicked is that?"

"That's the Big Dipper, Jace," Clary laughed even harder.

"Maybe to some, but to us professional astrologists it is called the Northern Shovel."

Clary looked over at Jace, admiring his features as he continued his antics. He was trying to distract her, she realized.

Maybe it had been the fact that she was appreciative that Jace was trying (and succeeding!) to calm her anxieties. Maybe it had been the lingering feeling she felt ever since she was 12. Maybe it was how Jace looked in the moonlight looking up at the sky. Maybe it was because she decided that it was time to have good memories to think of while in this cursed boat, and not the bad, traumatic ones.

Whatever the reason was, it led to Clary leaning forward and pressing her lips against Jace's. His arms immediately went around hers and he kissed her back with more enthusiasm, which she viewed as a challenge. Back and forth, they tried to outperform the other with their kisses. When they finally came back for air, Jace grinned at her.

"I've been wanting to do that since you got here."

"You're a much better kisser that you used to be. I can tell you've been practicing," Clary smirked.

"Are you trying to say I wasn't a good kisser back then?"

Clary shrugged. "I don't kiss and tell."

"But I'm the one you were kissing!" Jace laughed.

"Shut up and kiss me," Clary said.

And he did. They kissed for a long, long time.

Until finally, Jace pulled back. "Break time over," he said with a grin.

"That's just unfair," Clary groaned.

"Once you successfully drive the boat, I'll give you a reward," he whispered in her ear.

"Fine," Clary sighed. Jace held out his hand and helped her up. Clary sat in the drivers seat and still felt scared but this time, very much less so. When her mind went to struggling for air and the weights on her legs trying to pull her down, she instead thought of kissing Jace under the stars. Jace took out the anchor, turned the key, and started the boat, and started to drive it with more confidence than ever before...

"Holy shit, I did it!" Clary exclaimed after she successfully boated around the perimeter and created a wake.

"I told you that you'd get it," Jace said, sitting beside her in the passenger seat.

"So where is my reward?" Clary asked with a challenging tone.

Jace grinned. "In due time. How about we dock the boat first."

Clary huffed but did as she was told. Once the boat was back in the Morgenstern dock, her and Jace leaned toward one another at the same time. Taking Jace's face her hands, Jace started kissing her with more fervor and intensity than before, his tongue colliding with hers in a duel neither quite wanted to win. Clary climbed into Jace's lap and began to straddle him, never breaking away.

"I would like to take you on a date," he said plainly as the two tried to catch their breaths.

"Would you now?" Clary grinned at him, and began to kiss down his neck.

"Yes. I would." He breathed out. He played with her hair, and forced her head and her lips back to his.

"I'll have to check my calendar," Clary said between kisses.

"I promise that the date will likely involve lots of kissing."

"Then I'm in!" Clary grinned and leaned over to kiss Jace again, scratching her hands down Jace's back. Jace groaned, and slowly smoothed his hands up her legs and under her shirt.

Clary sighed and drew away from Jace, much to his dislike. She leaned against his forehead.

"Are we going to tell the others? Or keep it a secret, like last time?" Jace wondered.

"Keep it a secret. Please, I beg of you."

"Why?" Jace wondered. "Are you embarrassed they won't take us seriously because of my reputation?"

"No!" Clary argued. "That's not it at all. It's just that I need to check on something before we tell people. It's super dumb, don't worry about it."

"Okay..." Jace said.

"So about this date?" Clary asked, her eyebrows raised.

"My lips are sealed," he said.

Clary pouted, and then glanced back at the houses.

"We probably should go back."

"We probably should."

And with that, the newly reunited couple walked back to their homes, hand in hand.

And let's just say that they each needed to assist themselves to cool themselves down that evening.

* * *

"How long have Jace and Clary been screwing?" Aline asked Izzy the next day as the two observed the pair among the rest of the gang while tanning. Helen was napping beside them.

Izzy nearly spit out her drink. "You think they're screwing?" she asked.

"Wait, you didn't know? I wouldn't have thought Jace could keep a sexual experience quiet."

"They haven't told us of anything but I have been speculating about it for a while. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who noticed something was up," Izzy groaned.

"I may be a lesbian but I know sexual tension when I see it, even if it's between straight people," Aline commented.

They watched as Jace splashed Clary and she retaliated with a splash even larger, sparking something of a splashing war.

"I had mentioned my theories to Alec but he said I was just letting my imagination run wild."

"Alec is...Alec. Half the time he doesn't know when someone is hitting on _him,_ " Aline stated.

"I'm going to ask Clary about it," Izzy decided.

"I'll come with you," Aline said.

The two girls waited for Clary to get out of the lake to grab something from the cooler, and then cornered her.

"What's going on between you and Jace?" Isabelle asked, always straight forward.

"Nothing," Clary shrugged. "We get along really well. He's always been one of my closest friends here, surely you remember that."

"I remember wondering just how close you two were," Isabelle pushed.

Clary didn't even blink. _Damn, she's good_ , Izzy thought.

"There's no shame here, Clary. I almost slept with Jace once." Aline shrugged.

"You did?" Clary asked, wide eyed. "When?"

"When we were 15. I was attending an girls school and found I really liked looking at the other girls in the skirts we wore for our uniform. So I wanted to see if it was a fluke or not. I also didn't really want to believe I was gay because I knew my dad wouldn't like it. We were a little tipsy. It was pretty awkward. Seeing him naked didn't really get me that excited, and after like two minutes of foreplay I decided it wasn't worth it. By the next year, I was already hooking up with Helen and I came out to my parents. We all know what happens after." She shrugged.

"Wow," Clary simply said. Isabelle detected a flash of something in Clary's face, but in a second, it was gone.

"So out with it. Are you and Jace together?" Aline pushed.

"No," Clary said again. "I don't know why you two are so invested in this. Jace and I do not like each other in that way. I'm gonna go enjoy my beer now." Clary saluted and walked toward the tide, tipping her bottle back.

"She's lying," Aline said immediately.

"I don't know, she was pretty insistent," Isabelle started.

"If they aren't hooking up now, they will be. Mark my words. Remember, I'm an outsider here. I'm not blinded to whatever has happened earlier this summer. I'm just commenting on what I see _now_ , and what I see is a boy and girl looking at each other like they were fighting for air and the other is their oxygen tank."

"I suppose we'll see," Isabelle frowned, watching Clary whisper to Jace and Jace venture out of the lake towards the two.

"Can you leave Clary alone? We aren't dating," Jace demanded.

"People hook up when they aren't dating all the time," Izzy commented. Aline snorted.

Jace rolled his eyes. "Look at us, Izzy. We aren't jumping each other's bones, and we are a heterosexual male and female."

"But you don't look at Isabelle the way you look at Clary," Aline countered. "I know my shit, Jace, I'm majoring in psychology."

"Just because you're going to be a majoring in psychology this fall as a freshman at a fancy college you got a full ride to doesn't mean you know anything about it."

"I got a 5 on my AP Psych exam," Aline said proudly.

"That's cute, but I know that scores for AP exams aren't out until July."

"Yeah, but I know I got a 5 on it because I had a 98.9 in that class," Aline grinned.

"Oh Aline, I've missed you. Now leave us alone. And why did you tell Clary we almost but then didn't have sex? She doesn't wanna know that. Plus, it was 3 years ago."

"Why doesn't she want to know? Clary loves gossip. Unless it makes her uncomfortable knowing that someone else in our friend group has seen you naked besides her."

Jace huffed. "I'm done with this. You two can think what you want, but it's not true."

Jace turned his back to Aline and Izzy and jogged back into the lake. Izzy watched as Clary's eyes lit up.

 _Sure it isn't,_ Isabelle thought.

* * *

 **Maybe this answered some questions? Or just sparked new ones?**

 **I don't really have much to say here (for once). It's about time for me to go bed anyway so I guess I'll just leave you all with this.**

 **Follow me on social media! I need new friends. The links and stuff are on my profile but the biggie of course is tumblr which is jacespunkdad, and there are links to all my social media on there too.**

 **Self promotion aside, please review! Reviews are almost as great as the fact that I am /this/ close to my roadtrip with my dad, where I will actually be at the lake this fic is based off of for a few days! Where, you ask? That's one secret I'll never tell. Xoxo, gossip girl.**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	6. I've Got a Lover, a Love Like Religion

**You know how I said I would be uploading more this summer? lol oops i apologize**

 **Anyway.. thanks to my cool beta Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale who has dealt with a lot of panicked messages from me for this chapter in particular (which I'll explain later lol)**

 **enjoy**

* * *

A few evenings, filled with many rushed (and some not so rushed) kisses and touches, passed.

Jace and Clary would spend their days with the others (as they always had before) and would see each other at night (as they always had before), except instead of teaching Clary how to drive a boat, they were dedicated to kisses and rediscovering each other.

Jace had acted coy on when their dates would occur all throughout the week, but he finally gave her a hint during a surprise visit at breakfast.

"Jace, what are you doing here? Jon's asleep in the next room," Clary hissed.

"He'll be fine," Jace grinned, putting his arms around Clary's waist and kissing down her neck.

"Jace, seriously," she said, trying to not make it obvious how much she was enjoying his kisses.

"Fine," Jace huffed, but his arms quickly snuck up her chest as he squeezed her breasts.

"Jace," she laughed exasperatedly. "If you don't stop I'm not going to let you do any of this later."

"Fine," he said again, dropping a kiss onto her forehead before he let go of her.

"Tonight I'm taking you out for a night you'll never forget," Jace promised with a smirk.

"Tonight? Way to give me some warning ahead of time," Clary grumbled.

"Why, are you busy tonight?" Jace asked sarcastically. He knew she wasn't.

"No but I need to pick my outfit which takes a _very_ long time," Clary said, smacking his chest.

Jace grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. "I think you'll survive."

Clary pouted. Jace laughed and kissed her pout, but before they could get very much further into the kiss they heard footsteps down the hall.

"Shit," Clary whispered, jumping away from Jace and quickly running to the spot at the table with her cereal, where she began to eat nonchalantly.

 _She's good,_ Jace thought with a smirk.

"Morning, Clary," Jon greeted with a yawn. "Morning, Jace."

"Hey, Jon," Jace said.

"How's it going big bro?" Clary asked.

"Decent. I had a weird dream," Jon shrugged.

"What happened?" Clary asked.

"The Queen of England went grocery shopping at Whole Foods," he said, sounding slightly confused.

"I've had weirder dreams," Clary said with a laugh.

"Well, I best be off," Jace told the Morgenstern siblings. "I have to help Alec and Isabelle move around furniture. They're having that big 4th of July party tomorrow, you know."

"Something is definitely going to fuck it up," Jon said confidently.

"Have ye a little faith," Jace said. "Bye, Morgensterns."

As Jon waved goodbye and began concentrating on his search for a bagel, Jace leaned his face down toward Clary's.

"Meet me on my dock tonight? 10 o'clock?"

Clary nodded slightly and he stood upright, giving her one final secretive look before leaving for the Lightwoods.

"What did Jace whisper to you about?" Jon wondered as he returned to the table with a piece of toast, as they had apparently run out of bagels.

"Just making a joke about us walking in on Magnus and Alec the other day."

Which actually did happen. Except it wasn't that Jace and Clary had just happened to find them; the couple was looking for a spot to make out, just like Alec and Magnus apparently had been as well.

"Sounds traumatic," Jon commented.

* * *

That evening, Clary was ready. She had borrowed some of Izzy's high end makeup (claiming she needed it for the 4th of July party the next day), she had picked out a pretty orange and white sundress, and pinned up her hair.

She met Jace at his dock as promised. Already, people had begun launching fireworks for that evening. Typically, they start launching them for a few days before the 4th.

Clary came up from behind Jace and snuck in a kiss on his cheek.

"Hello," he greeted with a grin.

"Hi," she smiled.

Without another word, Jace reached behind Clary's head and took the pins out of her hair, allowing it to flow freely across her shoulders.

"I knew you'd do that," she whispered to him.

"Then why'd you pin it up in the first place?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Just to annoy you," she teased.

"Well, you failed. You could never annoy me."

"We're in the honeymoon phase, Jace. The time _will_ come. Wait for it."

Jace grinned and pulled her in for another kiss.

"So where are you taking me?" Clary asked, pulling away.

"We're going to take my two kayaks and boat to the beach."

"Isn't it a little dark for kayaking?"

"Nah. It's only 10 o'clock, Clary. People are still fishing, some are partying, and others are busy launching fireworks. There will be plenty of docks with lights on to guide the way.

"Hell, if Izzy and Alec weren't so swamped with the party tomorrow and everyone was not off running errands and such, we would all probably still be on our docks also."

"But my dress is going to get wet if we go in the kayaks," Clary whined.

"Don't worry," Jace said, as he grin began to slowly grow. "I was planning on taking it off anyway."

* * *

"Where's Jace and Clary?" Isabelle wondered as they were organizing RSVPs and washing dishes and other important tasks that needed to be done before the party the next day.

"He had said that he was going to be cleaning the dock and his house. Which is why I find it so interesting that I saw him standing by his dock doing nothing," Aline said.

"Clary has a migraine, and always locks herself in her room when she does so there's not too many disruptions," Jon said.

"Interesting that the two of them both happen to be unable to help us tonight," Izzy said snidely.

"What are the odds that they both cannot," Helen added in.

"They're probably screwing," Isabelle shrugged.

"Please don't say that word with those two," Jon complained. "I'm still traumatized."

"Traumatized?" Magnus asked with a laugh.

"Poor Jon ran over to my house last night, horrified. Apparently Clary and Jace were rather loud yesterday," Aline laughed.

"Have you ever had to listen to your little sister have sex with your best friend? It's _awful_ ," Jon cringed.

"How stupid do they think we are, anyway? They're too loud to keep their relationship a secret," Izzy said.

"You said you saw Jace walking to his dock?" Alec asked Aline.

"Yeah, and standing by it. Looking like he was waiting for something. Or should I say...some _one_."

"Oh God, are they going to have sex on his dock? We eat there!" Alec groaned.

"So does Jace, apparently," Magnus muttered.

"Lalalalalala, I'm not listening," Jon said, plugging in his ears.

Aline stopped assembling fruit kebabs and hopped over the counter, running toward a window.

"What are you doing?" Helen asked.

"Looking to see if I can catch Jace and Clary together," Aline muttered, sliding open the sliding glass door and walking onto the deck.

Everyone else scrambled to join her, craning their necks toward Jace's deck two doors down.

Jace and Clary were nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe they went inside," Magnus shrugged.

"Maybe they aren't actually together and this is all just another weird dream," Jon said with a hint of hope in his voice.

"Don't you wish," Izzy laughed, walking back inside.

* * *

The kayak ride to the beach had been pleasant, and Clary found herself feeling quite content.

As soon as they arrived on the empty beach and had gotten out of the kayaks, Jace ran behind a large pile of rocks. He returned with a basket and a blanket.

"A picnic?" Clary laughed.

"Why not?"

"I'm not complaining," Clary grinned.

Jace laid down the blanket and gestured for Clary to sit on it.

"If you insist," she said with a grin.

Once the pair had both sat down on the blanket, Jace reached into the basket and took out a cheese sandwich and a green apple.

It was all too familiar to Clary. She laughed again.

"Is a cheese sandwich the only thing you know how to make?" she teased.

"Yup," Jace said popping the p. "The only thing I could make when I was 13, and the only thing I can make now."

Jace cut the apple in half and gave Clary the bigger half.

"All that's missing is a candle," she said with a grin.

"And a kiss at midnight," Jace agreed.

"That was a great way to start my teenage years," Clary sighed.

"You're welcome," Jace smirked.

The two fell silent as they enjoyed their small meal.

"How's your mom?" Clary asked in between bites. "I haven't seen her since I got here."

Jace shrugged. "She's alright. She has her good and bad days. She hasn't been back here since, though. She was the one who found him, you know."

"I didn't," Clary said.

"Yeah. Mom was never the same after that."

Silence fell between the two for a few moments, and Clary listened to the fireworks in the distance.

"Your dad used to love launching those fireworks," she said with a smile. "Do you launch them anymore?"

"No," Jace said. "It's too weird to launch them without him. That's Alec's thing now."

"Do you guys participate in the firework battles like your dad used to?"

"Of course. Our firework budget this year was about $12,000."

"Jesus. Where do you keep them?" Clary wondered.

"Alec and Izzy's garage, mostly. You'll probably have to help us bring them outside when the time comes."

"That's fine."

"How's your mom? I don't get to see her often but when I do, she is always kind to me," Jace said.

"She's okay. Her and my stepdad Luke are taking care of my aunt Amatis. She has cancer."

"I'm sorry," Jace said.

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"I noticed you don't wear the Morgenstern ring around your neck anymore," Jace commented with a small smile.

Clary glanced down at her neck, where a ring decorated with an M and a pattern of stars used to sit. "No, not often."

 _Not since Valentine tore it off my neck and told me I was unworthy of the Morgenstern name_.

"Why don't you just wear mine?" Jace asked, referencing to the Herondale ring he had insisted she kept. "It looks better on you than me."

"Well, if I did it would give us away, now wouldn't it?"

Jace shrugged.

Clary frowned. "I'll find a chain and wear it around my neck," she promised.

Jace smiled and then laid down on the blanket to look up at the stars and various fireworks scattering the sky. Clary laid down with him, her head laying on his chest.

"Now about taking off that dress..," Jace murmured in her ear.

Clary slapped his chest. "Don't ruin this moment."

* * *

Isabelle hated hosting parties. It required responsibility. In reality, she wanted to celebrate the country's 240th birthday drunk; similar to how she spent its 239th, 238th, and 237th birthdays, and so on.

There had to be a hundred to nearly two hundred people sprawled throughout. Some were playing volleyball and bags and other games in the yard, others were on the dock drinking, and others were jumping on the trampoline they have anchored near their dock in the lake.

"The Jell-O shots have been a huge hit," Aline commented, bringing in an empty tray where the Jell-O shots had been located before they were all consumed.

"Of course they are. They're red, white, and blue. People consume any food they find with those colors on this day. Speaking of which, how's Helen?" Izzy asked, gesturing to Aline's red, white, and blue bikini.

"She seems to be enjoying herself," Alone grinned. "She's trying to tan but we both know that the closest she'll get to a tan is a third degree burn."

Izzy rolled her eyes. The front door opened for what felt like the millionth time that day, and in stepped Meliorn.

"Hi," Izzy grinned, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Hey, babe," Meliorn responded. He quickly scanned his eyes around the kitchen.

"Look, Iz. I know that I said I would help out in here but you seem to have it under control. Is it okay if I join the party?" he asked, but it was obvious that it wasn't really a question.

"Well, the reason I wanted you to help out in here was so we could spend time together. I haven't seen you in a while," Izzy said with tight lips.

"We'll catch up later," Meliorn promised with a grin as he was walking out the back door towards the party.

"You really know how to pick 'em, Iz," Aline muttered.

"Whatever," Izzy snapped. She immediately began straightening out table cloths, stirring the ground beef, and busying herself far more than she bothered before this encounter. She groaned. "Remind me to never host a party again."

"Iz, you don't have to be holed up in here playing hostess the whole time. We can take turns," Aline suggested. "I'll take the first shift. Make sure no one breaks any of your mom's precious silver ornaments from Spain or whatever."

"No, I'm fine," Izzy growled. "You go. Have fun. I'd rather stay here."

"Izzy, you're scaring me. It's not like you to let someone boss you around and decline an offer to join a party."

"Yeah, well you haven't seen me in 2 years," Izzy snapped. "People change."

Aline gazed at her friend warily, but finally gave in. "Fine. Take the first shift in making sure nothing goes wrong inside. But you have to join the party at some point. I'll be back in say, 20 minutes?"

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Aline strolled out of the glass door to the deck, immediately swallowed up by a large crowd. She inched down the stairs, searching for her girlfriend.

As she continued her descent toward the dock, where Helen had said she probably would be, Aline noticed (with amusement) that Jace and Clary were kicking Alec and Magnus's asses at volleyball. The fact that Magnus appeared to have had more to drink and was a completely useless player probably helped.

"Hey guys," Aline called to her friends. "Can you check up on Izzy for me every once and a while? She's worrying me. She seems obsessed with playing hostess."

"That's odd," Alec commented. "Usually she will take any excuse she can to ditch."

"Well, she seemed to have that attitude up until a few moments ago when her boyfriend showed up."

"Meliorn," Jace groaned. "He's an ass."

"Yeah, I could see that. He totally ditched her."

"Wasn't he supposed to help her inside?" Clary asked incredulously.

"Yeah, he was," Alec said, his eyes narrowing. "I hate that bastard. He walks all over her but every time I try to talk to her about it she won't let me."

"I think I saw him walking that way," Magnus said, pointing toward the dock with a shaky arm. It was clear he had enjoyed a few more drinks than the others. "In case any of you wanted to kick his ass."

"Tempting," Clary rolled her eyes.

"No, it's fine. Let's not ruin this. You and Izzy worked so hard," Aline said, gesturing to Alec. "I'm just going to find Helen and then go inside to switch responsibilities with Izzy."

"No way. I'll watch the house. You and Izzy have been in charge the whole time, and this is my house. It's ridiculous. Don't worry about it, I'll kick Izzy out and make her socialize," Alec said. He shook his head. "Never thought I would ever have to say that."

"You're so good to her, sweet pea," Magnus said in an admiring voice.

"Meliorn is no good for her," Clary grumbled. "I'll help you get her out of the house if need be, Alec."

"Where's Jon?" Aline asked, suddenly realizing the elder Morgenstern wasn't in sight.

"Drunk, probably hooking up with someone. He goes nuts on the 4th," Jace rolled his eyes.

"I think he took our boat," Clary said, narrowing her eyes.

The crowd all turned toward the Morgenstern dock next door, where the lot where boat that should've been parked was empty.

"You would hope it was him," Jace mused.

"Anyways, back to the situation at hand. We're all going to take care of Izzy, correct?" Aline asked.

"Of course," Alec answered, with the rest of the group nodding in agreement.

"Fantastic. Then I'm going to go find my beautiful girlfriend and make out with her for a little bit."

"Have fun," Magnus called after her as she meandered through the crowd looking for Helen.

She spotted Helen in a lounging chair on the dock, margarita in hand, in the middle of what appeared to be a very dull conversation. She threw Aline a pleading look.

Just as Aline began to walk toward her to rescue her, she heard a thump underneath her feet.

 _What the fuck_?

She toed off her sandals and walked toward the rocks that formed steps descending into the lake. Helen gave her a look that said: _What are you doing? Help me!_

Aline held up a finger as a way of saying that she'd be back to her in a moment. She first waded into the lake until the water reached her waist, and then she ducked her head.

She had three thoughts flood her head as soon as her eyes met what was underneath the Lightwood dock.

The first thought was _how the fuck did they get down here?_

The second thought was _this has to be the worst place to hook up in the history of_ ever _._

The third thought was that the figure whose back was towards her was awfully familiar...too familiar...

And then...

"What the FUCK?!" Aline exclaimed.

The couple jumped apart, both turning toward the voice. The girl, who Aline did not recognize, was topless, which led to Aline wondering _where the fuck her bikini top went._

Meliorn didn't even look ashamed to have been caught.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Aline wondered out loud. "Of all places you choose to cheat on your girlfriend, and you choose to do it at her fucking party? How pathetic is that?"

Meliorn continued to just glare at Aline.

"Get out, you dipshit! You can't stay! Go home!" Aline screeched. "You too!" She now pointed to the girl Meliorn had been kissing when Aline had caught them. She had dark red hair, a few shades darker than Clary's, that did not look natural by any means.

Meliorn slowly got out, but the girl stubbornly stayed.

"Oh, are you too shy because you don't have a top on?" Aline asked with fake pity. "Well, tough shit! You're the slut who tried to sleep with the hostess of the party's boyfriend under a dock."

Eventually, the girl got out. At this point, nearly the entire crowd was watching the drama.

"Don't you all have something better to do?" A voice yelled. "Like getting drunk or something?" Aline realized it was Helen, and smiled at her girlfriend gratefully.

Aline then realized that Meliorn was walking toward the Lightwood house and without hesitation, she sprinted toward the house so she could get inside and break the news before he did in some shitty way and somehow make it seem like it was nothing.

Luckily, Aline had run track and field in high school and knew the shortcuts in Izzy's house to her kitchen so she knew how to reach Izzy first. But by the time she had, it had turned out she didn't need to hurry so quickly, for Clary was already inside, rubbing Izzy's back.

"I saw the whole thing," Clary explained to Aline as soon as she walked in.

"Iz, you need to dump his ass," Aline begged her.

Izzy appeared completely blank and emotionless. No tears ran down her face. Nothing. She just looked empty.

"That asshole," she finally muttered, "came to MY party and ditched me just to hook up with some skank underneath MY dock."

"That's right," Clary said. "You deserve so much better."

Almost as if those words had summoned him, in walked the man in question.

Meliorn.

"Get out, NOW!" Aline and Clary ordered simultaneously.

"Chill," he said. "I'm just walking this way because it's the way to the front door."

"You could go that way to exit, asshole," Clary snapped. "Izzy doesn't want to see you right now."

"Oh, so you speak for her now?" Meliorn said with a laugh.

"No, they don't," Izzy grunted, and forced herself away from Clary and walked up to Meliorn, whose cocky grin shrank as soon as he saw the anger in her eyes.

"What the fuck is your PROBLEM?" Izzy growled, her sharp nails swiping at his face without warning. "It's one thing to cheat on me but at MY PARTY? With one of your EX GIRLFRIENDS?" she screeched, continuing to scratch at Meliorn's face.

Meliorn had an arm up, trying to protect his eyes. "Seelie and I were never over," he growled. "You just were a piece of ass that I wanted. If anything, I cheated on her with you."

Izzy withdrew her nails. "Aw," she said with in a voice with fake sweetness and dripping with sarcasm. "How sweet."

Without another word, she slugged him in the jaw.

"How dare you humiliate me?" Izzy yelled, now slapping at his chest. "At my own HOUSE?! You son of a bitch!"

But before she could cause anymore damage, Alec had entered the scene, pulling his sister off her ex.

"Get out of my fucking house," he growled at Meliorn. "NOW."

Meliorn glared at the Lightwoods and spat, rushing toward the exit.

"No wonder everyone here hates your families," Meliorn stated just before he exited the door. "You're all fucking crazy."

"Get OUT!" Izzy screamed, throwing one of Maryse's precious silver ornaments they weren't supposed to break.

Meliorn closed to the door before it could hit him, causing it to shatter on the floor.

"Iz," Alec groaned. "Mom got those in Rome last summer."

"I don't give a fuck," she snarled. And with that, she stormed off toward her room, Aline and Clary hesitantly following.

* * *

The party soon dissipated after that.

"They'll be back," Alec promised. "Once the fireworks start. They always come back for our fireworks."

After the drama at the party and the clean up the resulted afterward, everyone was perfectly content with relaxing before the fireworks. Jon (who had resurfaced as soon as Meliorn had left) cooked burgers, which they ate along with the potato salad they had meant to put out during the party but forgot. After lunch Izzy locked herself in her room, and refused to leave no matter who begged her to come out.

A few short hours later, Alec's promise rang true. The official Rolling Morris fireworks were conveniently located across from the cove that the Lightwood, Herondale, Morgenstern, and Penhallow homes were all located so throughout the years they always would watch from their own backyards.

But the true fun begins afterward, as the battle of fireworks commences. Those dedicated enough to participate spend thousands upon thousands of dollars that could've been spent on charities dedicated to starving, impoverished families to the cause of having the best fireworks possible.

A tradition that had started as a playful rivalry by a young Stephen Herondale.

Everyone pitched in transferring the fireworks from the Lightwood garage to the Lightwood dock, where Alec would launch said fireworks.

Afterwards, they began to bring out blankets to sit on to watch the show. Aline swore up and down that the view for the Rolling Morris fireworks (a display that was impressive in its own right) was best from Jace's dock. Jon and Clary both disagreed, and stubbornly sat at their own family dock to watch.

"Hey," Jace whispered to Clary as she was people watching the Rolling Morris families who weren't as lucky as they were and had to embark on a boat ride every year to watch the fireworks.

"Hi," she smiled. Jace kissed her on the cheek.

"Don't let Jon see," she hissed. "He would freak. He's always been an asshole to my boyfriends."

"Boyfriends, huh?" Jace asked. "Anyone I should be worried about?"

Clary laughed a small laugh. "Please. They hardly even were. Most of the relationships resulted in a sad handjob and lasted only a few months at most."

"How can a handjob be sad?" Jace wondered with a grin.

"Because I wasn't that into it," Clary laughed.

"Wasn't that into what?" Jon asked, and Clary nearly flew five feet into the air.

" _Lord of the Rings,_ " Clary said with a shrug. "Remember? I tried to watch it with you last summer but I just couldn't get into it."

Jon nodded at the memory. "You were so bored," he said with a laugh.

Clary threw Jace a quick look of relief.

"The fireworks should be starting soon." Jon took a seat next to Jace. "Beer?" he offered.

Jace nodded and grabbed the bottle out of his hand.

"I remember how much your dad liked the fireworks," Jon said with a sigh.

"Yeah," Jace responded, smiling a little.

"You just were never that into it yourself?"

Jace shrugged. "Not since he died. It's fine. I think it's good for Alec. He keeps so much of his anger inside him. I think blowing shit up is therapeutic for him."

Jon nodded. "I can see that." He took a sip of his beer, looking out at the lake.

"Your dad was a cool dude, though. I miss him," he said after a while.

"He was a jackass sometimes, trust me," Jace said with a small laugh. "But it was okay. I'm a jackass too. I get it from him, I think. I miss him too."

 _It was the red stamp that had stood out more than anything else. The red stamp, the dawning horror of realization, the yelling, the screaming, the crying. Terminated, it had said. That night was the worst night of Clary's life._

 _"_ Dad was never the same after. They were quite close," Jon sighed.

 _Ignorance truly is bliss,_ Clary decided at that moment.

"Yeah," she said after realizing that Jon was expecting her to backup what he said. "He always says how he admired Stephen."

* * *

But how could our heroes have known what was to come?

How could they have known that somewhere several miles away, Celine Herondale would make a mistake that would result in her ceasing to breathe?

How could they know Maryse Lightwood was on her way to break the news?

How could they know that Valentine Morgenstern would soon make his reappearance, one much more memorable than the first?

How could they know that the final set pieces were being put in place, and that the curtains to this horrific show were about to draw back?

Let them have their fun.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun**

 **Okay so the reason this chapter took so long to write was because I had it finished and ready to go and fantastic in July but it got DELETED and I was so mad because I had written like half of it in a day and it was so GOOD but it got deleted and I write chapters on my cracked iPod so there was no way to get it back (trust me I googled it a lot and then screamed)**

 **So it took me a while to rewrite but I'm proud of what resulted from my rewrite so maybe it was a blessing in disguise? who can say**

 **Anyway how about them OLYMPICS? Just watched Simone Biles and Aly Raisman get the gold and silver in gymnastics. GO TEAM USA! What country are all of y'all from/routing for? I'm genuinely curious.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Lots of shit is bout to go down reeeeeal quick (;**

 **and yet, my first day of junior (screaming) year starts on Wednesday so who even knows when I'll update! im trash im sorry**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	7. Are You Insane Like Me

**we back with an ACTUAL update? not an a/n? is the world ending? probably. the cubs won the world series, so.**

 **so um sorry this took so long? hey at least it didn't take me a year to update**

 **as always thank you to Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale for being patient and beta-ing. much love**

 **happy thanksgiving!**

* * *

"Do you have any requests or fantasies for your 18th birthday?" Jace asked Clary while laying down beside her a few evenings after the eventful 4th of July.

"What kind of fantasies do you mean?" Clary asked amusedly.

"I dunno. Fantasies like getting a tattoo or buying a lottery ticket or buying a cigarette. I did all of those things before I turned 18, now that I think about it."

Clary grinned and turned over so her head was resting on Jace's chest.

"No, not really," she shrugged. "I honestly don't want anything big. I'd rather just spend the day with everyone and go tubing or something like that. Maybe have a movie night. I'm not that high maintenance."

"Actually..." Jace started.

Clary hit his chest. "Don't be rude."

Jace grinned and kissed the top of her head. She enthusiastically kissed him back, sliding slowly up his body which caused him to moan quietly.

Unfortunately, they were soon interrupted by a ding.

"Just ignore it," Jace murmured as Clary glanced at her phone.

"It might be Jon," she said.

"Fucking cockblocker," Jace groaned.

Clary laughed quietly as she checked her phone.

It wasn't a message from Jon, but rather a message from Izzy.

 **Can we talk**

 **Im reallllly drunk and wanna talk 2 somebdoy**

"It's Izzy," Clary told Jace.

"Oh, then you can ignore that. She'll be fine."

"Jace," Clary scolded. "She hasn't talked to anyone since Meliorn happened. She's been locked in her room. I think I should talk to her."

Jace sighed. "You're probably right."

Clary grinned and kissed Jace's shoulder. "You'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say," Jace groaned. "You've never been blue balled."

Clary just laughed over her shoulder.

* * *

Izzy was sitting on Clary's dock, clutching a flask like it was her only savior.

"Hey," Clary greeted cautiously.

Izzy simply nodded as a sign of recognition.

"This seat taken?" Clary asked, gesturing toward an empty spot on the deck beside where Izzy had been sitting.

"I just don't understand," Izzy sighed.

"Me neither. You're gorgeous and deserve way better," Clary responded, assuming Izzy was talking about Meliorn. "You were far too good for him. This was probably for the best, Iz. I know it sucks so hard right now, but one day you'll look back and realize just how much you lucked out getting away from that asshole."

Izzy shrugged. "I just don't understand why God keeps spitting on me."

Clary frowned. "What do you mean?"

Izzy shrugged again. "I dunno. My parents have been fighting a 4 year divorce battle because I found the texts my dad sent his mistress. Max dying before he made it to high school. You leaving us without saying why. All of my shitty relationships. It just never ends. I can never catch a fucking break." Izzy knocked her flask back.

"I didn't realize me leaving was that big of a deal," Clary said.

"Of course it was," Izzy said. "You were my best friend. Sure, Aline and I were close. But not as close as you and I were. And one day you just...left. And then there was Jace. It was so fucking depressing seeing how lost he was without you. And then Stephen died, and Jace was gone for the summer too. It felt like life as I knew it had ended at the lake. I feared that was the end of summers at the lake. Of course, Jace came back the next year. But you didn't. I waited every year for you to come back. I finally had lost hope leading up to this summer."

"I'm sorry," Clary said quietly.

"Why?" Izzy asked, passing Clary the flask. "You still haven't told us why you took so long to come back."

Clary drank from the flask without answering. Her father's words echoed in her mind. _You have kept very quiet. Keep it that way._

"I can't tell you," Clary shrugged.

"Bullshit," Izzy said while rolling her eyes, her annoyance clear.

"No, really, I can't. It's really fucked up."

"I have told you most of my secrets," Izzy muttered. "Why can't you just tell me?"

"It's just fucked up Izzy. Can we leave it at that?" Clary said, again.

"Did it have to do with Jace?" Izzy asked quietly.

Clary gazed at the lake, contemplating whether she should answer.

"Yes," she whispered. She felt the strong urge to check her surroundings to make sure her father wasn't here to witness her admit this simple fact. He would kill her if he found out she was even thinking about the incident in another living creature's presence.

"I knew it," Izzy said. "What, did you get pregnant with his child at 13 and live in the countryside in order to give birth to the baby in secret or something?"

Clary found herself laughing. "God, no. I wish. That would have been far less complicated. Jace and I got nowhere near that far. We were kids." Clary laughed again at this bizarre idea. "I'm sure our baby would've been cute, though."

"So you admit it. You used to date Jace."

Clary froze. "No," she laughed nervously. "I said we didn't have sex. We didn't do anything."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap, Clary. I had already guessed it. You guys are together now too. Aren't you?"

Clary slowly nodded. "How'd you find out?" she asked.

Izzy snorted. "You're acting like this is some grand secret. Everyone already knows. You guys suck at being quiet."

Clary's eyes widened. "Oh my God, you've heard us?"

"Jon hid at Aline's house once because he was too traumatized."

Clary covered her face with her hands and groaned. "God, that's so fucking embarrassing. Why didn't you just tell us you knew?"

Izzy shrugged. "It was funny to watch you two try to hide it from us." She smiled slightly but then her face grew contemplative. "I think I would've figured it out, anyways."

"How?"

"You and Jace are different together. You're still the same people, but almost better. It's hard to explain. I'm happy for you guys. Really. I think you two are good for each other."

Clary blushed. "Thanks." She handed the flask back to Izzy. "But this talk isn't supposed to be about me. It's supposed to be about you. Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Why did you leave?" Izzy asked again.

Clary wanted to cry out of frustration. "I can't tell you."

Izzy frowned. "Because it's too fucked up? No. What's fucked up is refusing to give your little brother a ride to his friend's house because you had a date later, forcing him to walk through what you knew to be a dangerous neighborhood. And guess what happened? Little brother ends up walking into a conflict between rival gangs and is shot. Wrong place at the wrong fucking time. All because you didn't give him a ride because you were too worried about getting ready for a date with a lacrosse player who already had a girlfriend anyway. _That's_ fucked up."

"Is that what happened to Max?" Clary asked quietly.

Izzy nodded. She sniffled and took another swig from the flask.

"The gang members were awfully nice about it. They sent flowers to the funeral and everything. They didn't mean for it to happen. Makes it hard to hate them."

Clary sighed. "I can't tell you. It puts me in danger, it puts Jace in danger, it potentially puts everyone in danger."

Izzy glared at her. "You're probably being dramatic." She took another drink.

Fury flooded Clary's chest, a wildfire that swiftly spread to the rest of her body. "I'm not being fucking dramatic, okay? Fuck you. I just wanted to help you feel better but clearly I shouldn't have bothered."

With that, Clary lifted herself up and stormed away, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.

* * *

 _Valentine's source of wealth had always been a mystery to Clary. Men (and women, she supposed) were always walking down to the basement to meet with her father in his office when he was home (which was not very often). His office was always locked. There was a key pad by the door, and only Valentine knew the code. Everyone else had to meet him via appointment._

 _Whenever Valentine was working, the children were not allowed in the basement at all. Clary always thought this odd, even as a young child._

 _"It's probably no big deal," Jace said to her when she voiced her observations as they rocked back and forth on the porch swing. "Your father has always appeared to be a very private man to me. He's either very thorough, or paranoid." He held his hand out to hers, and she gladly took it._

 _"You're probably right," Clary responded after a moment._

 _"I know I am," Jace grinned, leaning in toward her and sneaking in a kiss._

 _Clary rested her head on his shoulder. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with her father's job._

 _Jace reached into his pocket._

 _"I want you to have this," he said. He held out a ring decorated with an H and two herons._

 _"What is it?" Clary wondered._

 _"It's a ring," Jace grinned._

 _"I know that, smartass. Why is there an H?"_

 _Jace shrugged. "It's my family ring. My dad always told me to give to someone special when the time came."_

 _Clary's heart had soared. "Oh, Jace. It's wonderful. I love it!"_

 _But her father's business still bothered her. Clary was determined to discover the code to her father's keypad._

 _As it so happened, her and Jon's laptop was located on a desk across from the entrance to their father's office. Clary hatched a plan..._

 _Her father's office hours typically started around 9 in the morning and ended around 7 in the evening. After an escapade with Jace, Clary snuck back into her house through the basement, and turned on her laptop. She opened the application for the built in web camera on her laptop, and clicked record_. _She minimized the tab, hoping her father would not notice the small red light at the top of the laptop indicating it was recording._

 _The laptop recorded the entirety of the following day, however Clary was saddened to find that her father's body shielded her from seeing the code. She was determined to crack it. She waited a few more days to attempt it, but after yet another day with Jace, Clary snuck back into the basement and walked toward her father's office. Little did Clary know, that would be the last time she would see Jace in five years._

 _She first entered Valentine's birthday. Nope. She tried his mother's birthday. No. His father's. Nada. She even tried her and Jon's birthdays. Nothing._

What if..., _Clary began to ponder. She hesitantly entered her mother's birthday._

 _The door swung open._

 _Clary's heart began to beat slightly faster. She walked slowly inside, taking in her surroundings._

 _It was a nice and spacious office. Every piece of furniture appeared to be made of red oak. Every paper was in order. There were files neatly piled on his desk._

 _She curiously lifted one suspiciously labeled_ Dealers _and opened the first page._

 _Inside were in depth descriptions of every "dealer." Including descriptions of what drug they dealt, and statistics of monthly sales._

 _Clary's heart thudded in her chest. They were lists of customers, as well. She was shocked at some of the influential names on the lists. Many of them were politicians she had read about in the newspapers and that graced her TV screen on CNN every evening._

Oh my God, _she remembered thinking._ My dad is a fucking drug dealer. Not even a drug dealer. A goddamn mob boss.

 _Another folder caught her eye. This one was labeled_ Potential Threats. _Her breathing grew more labored. She didn't know what she'd find, or what to expect, in these pages._

 _She opened it to find a page with the word_ TERMINATED _stamped in red at the top._

 _Dread filled her. She looked at the name and recognized it. The man had been reported missing only a few days ago..._

 _This appeared to be a reoccurring theme. Some victims of whom their bodies had already been found. Others had been victims who had been missing for months, if not years. Each termination seemed to send a different message._

 _She froze as she got to one page._

 _"Oh my God," Clary said out loud. "No. No, no, no, no. Please no," she wailed._

 _The name at the top said Stephen Herondale._

 _This didn't make sense. Stephen and Valentine were friends - business partners, even. At least, that's what the two had called it during their conjoined family dinners. It had been at those dinners that Clary had begun to develop a crush on Jace..._

 _But Stephen was still alive. For now._

 _She needed to warn him. She needed to warn Jace!_

 _"What the fuck are you doing in here?" Valentine's voice boomed from the doorway._

 _Clary's heart stopped. She must've been so enthralled in the file that she hadn't heard him walk in._

 _"N-n-nothing, daddy," Clary said, attempting to close the file. But she wasn't fast enough. Valentine had seen what she saw._

 _"Daddy, why?" Clary cried. "Why do you have to do this?"_

 _"You wouldn't understand business, Clarissa."_

 _"Daddy, he's your friend!"_

 _"Shut your goddamn mouth," Valentine hissed, reaching into his pocket._

 _"How could you even want to do such a thing? What the hell is wrong with you? I hate you!" Clary yelled._

 _Valentine took a gun out of his pocket and put to Clary's head, and she quieted immediately._

 _"I swear to God, Clarissa, I will not hesitate to pull this trigger if you say another word."_

 _Clary gulped but said nothing._

 _"You will leave this office, go to bed, and not talk about what you saw in this office with anyone. Not your brother, not your mother, and especially not Stephen's spawn next door. I know you have a stupid crush on him. Not a word, Clarissa. Not a word." Valentine pressed the gun further against Clary's head._

 _Clary nodded slightly, too afraid to cry any longer._

 _"You will not scream. You will not speak. You will leave this room and go to bed," Valentine hissed. Clary nodded again._

 _"Say yes, sir!" Valentine bellowed._

 _"Yes, sir," Clary quietly croaked out._

 _Valentine slowly drew the gun back. Clary slide away from her father, keep her eye on him as she exited the office. He continued to aim his gun on her retreating body._

 _She laid down in her bed and cried herself to sleep, only to be awaken at 4:45 in the morning by her father. By noon the next day, she was on her way home._

 _Her mother didn't ask Clary why she cried her entire car ride home. She, too, knew Valentine was capable of, and had been too afraid to ask._

* * *

"Is that Mom?" Alec wondered as he and Magnus were cuddled up on the couch watching a romantic comedy with Isabelle silently sitting on the other side.

Isabelle turned her head. "Yeah, I think it is," she said.

"She's going to be so pissed about the ornament you broke," Alec groaned.

"We don't have to tell her," Izzy shrugged.

"She's going to notice," Alec sighed, getting up to hold the door for their mother, who's hands were fairly full carrying in two large suitcases.

"Thank you, Alec," Maryse Lightwood greeted her son. He nodded.

"Mom!" Izzy called, running over to give her a hug. "We didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't either," she said with a small smile. "Where's Jace? Isn't he normally here?"

"He's probably with his girlfriend," Izzy grumbled.

Alec raised an eyebrow. Clearly, something had happened between Izzy and Clary that he did not know about.

"Ah. Say no more."

"Yeah, I think they might be planning her birthday party or something."

"Wait, Jace is actually spending quality time with a girlfriend? And not just..." Maryse gestured vaguely.

"Yeah, I know. Crazy, isn't it? He's growing up," Alec said with a smile.

"Who is this girlfriend?" Maryse wondered out loud.

"Clary Morgenstern," Izzy said bitterly.

 _Yup, something definitely is up with those two,_ Alec thought _._

"Clarissa?" Maryse knit her eyebrows. "I haven't seen that girl in ages. Anyway, is he home? Or at Clarissa's? I need to speak to him."

"I think he's at Clary's. Why, is there something wrong?"

Maryse hesitated. "Jace's mother died last night."

"What?" Izzy gasped.

"How?" Alec questioned.

Maryse sighed. "She slit her wrists."

* * *

 **I love how in my last chapter I was talking about how I was starting junior year in a few days and now I'm only a month or so short of the end of my first semester lol yikes**

 **I hope you enjoyed! It's bout to get real wild**

 **Also I would like to thank HTGAWM for kind of encouraging me to do this weird out of order timeline thing I've been doing. I love that sort of thing in writing and I've been watching a ton of HTGAWM so it was inevitable that I wrote something with a somewhat nonlinear timeline. Anyone watch HTGAWM? Best show. I highly recommend it if you don't.**

 **Hopefully the next update won't take forever because I already have written some of it and I still have a little break left before my life goes crazy (in case you didn't know, the holidays are the BUSIEST time of the year for a musician.)**

 **Please review. I haven't talked to y'all in awhile. Let's catch up.**

 **Enjoy your turkey tonight! Unless you don't live in America and therefore don't celebrate Thanksgiving today. Then I just hope whatever you eat for dinner is delicious**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


	8. I'm a Hurricane

**HAHAHA** **remember when I had said there would be a new chapter soon lololol that was eight months ago YIKES. I'm trash, sorry.**

 **Anyway I hope this was worth it? Thanks to everyone who stuck with this story despite my inconsistent updates. I appreciate u**

 **Also thank you as always to Mrs. Jace Wayland-Herondale who I'm sure nearly died of shock when I messaged her telling her that I had a new chapter for her. Thanks for being patient with me u real**

 **I don't own tmi if I did I probably would've finished Lord of Shadows by now but alas I have not. (What's so crazy about this fic is I was talking about Lady Midnight at the beginning of it and now I'm finishing it with Lord of Shadows. Wild. Has it really been that long lol)**

* * *

The last time Celine Herondale spoke to her husband before his violent murder, he had seemed nervous. Paranoid, even. Looking back, she was certain he had known it was coming. Intuition, she later reckoned.

When she had found him, he was face down on the wooden deck, his head and arms dangling off the edge.

Stephen had always been a large joker. He liked to freak his wife out sometimes, because he felt she worried too much. He also was the kind of person who could fall asleep _anywhere_. She supposed he was probably just giving her a hard time.

"Okay, very funny," she said, laughing forcefully. Stephen didn't move. "Come on, Stephen. It's time for breakfast. Jace will be up any moment. I know you wanted to spend some time with him before you left today."

Still nothing.

 _Maybe he had passed out from all the drinks he consumed last night?_

"Stephen, come on. This isn't funny anymore."

Something was wrong, she realized with dread. Usually at this point, Stephen would have jumped up and laughed at her for overreacting, _again_.

But he didn't. He remained frightfully still.

Celine tapped his shoulder, checking for consciousness. "Stephen! Get up!"

No response.

Now fearing the worst, she slowly pulled him toward her.

He didn't fight her. He didn't do anything. He remained motionless.

As she pulled him towards her, his head slid onto the doc and Celine felt her heart stop. A part of Stephen's head was _missing._ Instead what remained was hideous, gaping bloody hole. With horror, she turned him over, hoping that this all just the works of very convincing looking prosthetic makeup.

A bullet hole, located perfectly between her husband's two eyebrows, greeted her, partnered with a pool of his blood.

Many would later describe hearing Celine's scream echo through the neighborhood.

* * *

"How's Izzy?" Jace asked without looking up from his _Call of Duty_ game.

"I don't want to talk about it," Clary grumbled.

"She'll come around," Jace promised. "Did she lash out at you?"

Clary shrugged. "Kinda."

"She copes by treating people like shit. Don't think anything of it."

"Can I join?" Clary asked, gesturing to Jace's game.

Jace gasped. "My girlfriend is smart, smoking hot, AND likes _Call of Duty_? I think I hit the jackpot with this one, folks."

Clary grinned. Jace was plugging in the second game controller for the Xbox when there came a knock on the door.

Jace jumped up and jogged to it, opening it widely.

"Maryse?" he greeted in surprise.

"Jace," Maryse said warmly, her arms wide. Jace responded to her hug, and then turned to Clary.

"Maryse, you remember Clary, right?"

"Of course," Maryse said with a grin. "I always remember telling Valentine he needed to keep an eye on her because I knew she would be a beauty like her mother. I can now see her beauty exceeded the expectations. How are you, Clarissa?"

Clary smiled faintly. "I'm great, Mrs. Lightwood."

"Oh, please. Call me Maryse. Mrs. Lightwood makes me sound so old."

She turned to Jace. "Now how long have you two been together?"

Jace glanced at Clary with a panicked expression.

 _I forgot to tell him that everyone already knew_ , Clary realized.

"A few weeks," Clary replied for him. "Though we did date a little in the years before, but I'm not sure if you'll count middle school dating as real." She laughed lightly.

Jace gawked at her, but then nodded to Maryse.

"How wonderful. I'm happy for you two." Maryse smiled again, and Clary noticed something fake in her smile. Something was wrong.

"Jace," Maryse started. "May I speak with you alone?"

Jace raised his eyebrows. "I guess. Wanna talk in the kitchen?"

Maryse nodded. "That would be good, yes."

As the pair walked into Jace's kitchen, Maryse's eyes locked with Clary's. And in that moment, Clary knew that the news Maryse had could not possibly be good.

* * *

"When was the last time you heard from your mother, Jace?" Maryse asked after closing the kitchen door.

Jace shrugged. "I dunno. A few days ago? We text every so often. We Facetimed last week. Why?"

Maryse's face fell. "Your mother is dead, Jace."

"No she's not," Jace deadpanned.

Maryse sadly nodded. "Yes, she is. She committed suicide at your home in Brooklyn last night."

Jace shook his head violently. "No. My mother would never do that."

"It said in her file that she was clinically depressed?"

"Just because you're depressed doesn't mean you're suicidal," Jace hissed. "She wasn't like that."

"I'm sorry, Jace. But she's gone. And since I am not only a family friend but your family lawyer, they felt it would be best that I share the news. We have a lot of responsibilities ahead of us. We have to plan and arrange her funeral, organize her stuff, sort out the inheritance."

Jace shook his head again. "She's not dead, dammit!"

Maryse sighed and put her face in her hands. "I saw her body, Jace."

Jace couldn't discuss the matter any longer. He exited the kitchen and ran toward the family dock that his father's body had been found at only 5 years before.

"What's wrong?" Clary asked Maryse in horror.

"Celine killed herself," Maryse sighed.

"Oh my God," Clary gasped, placing her hand in front of her mouth. "Poor Jace."

"Poor Celine," Maryse said quietly.

* * *

They all left Jace alone for a while. Clary had wanted to chase after him, but Maryse advised against it. They both knew that he needed time to think.

"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid," Clary sighed.

"You seem to have a lot of faith in your boyfriend," Maryse commented.

"Oh you know what I mean."

Maryse nodded. "I do."

The others agreed. "He'll come around," Alec reasoned after Clary and Maryse had discussed the matter back at the Lightwood house. "He just needs to think. I don't think he'll do anything stupid, either. The worst he'll do is get drunk. And he's drunk half the time anyway."

Clary couldn't bear knowing Jace was alone however. After a rather somber lunch with the others, she snuck out to walk toward her family dock.

"I know where you're going," Izzy called out to her.

Clary froze. She slowly turned to Izzy.

Izzy sighed. "Look. I'm sorry for the crap I gave you earlier. Really, I am. The reason you left is none of my business. Maybe one day you'll feel safe enough to tell me about it. But you don't have to."

"Thank you, Izzy," Clary breathed, giving her friend a brief hug.

"What really matters is that you're here now."

Clary smiled and nodded. "I don't want him to think he's alone."

"He knows he isn't."

"I want to be there as soon as he wants to talk."

Izzy shrugged. "You are such a good human, Clary Fray. I hope you always will be."

Clary grinned. "Same with you, I suppose."

Clary slid outside and crossed from the Lightwood lawn into hers.

She found Jace lying face down on his dock.

"Jace!" she yelled out to him. "Jace!" She ran towards him, finding herself fearing the worst. Any other day she wouldn't have thought much of it. But given the circumstances...

He popped his head up, turned toward her.

"Jace," she said again concernedly. "What were you doing?"

"That was how my mother found him. My dad. Lying face down on our dock, his arms and head dangling over the edge. Sometimes I lie in that position to reflect upon what it must've been like."

Clary froze at the mention of Stephen. _It's your fault he's dead. You could've done something. You could've warned someone. You're the reason Jace is like that_.

"And my mother was never the same after. Less cheerful. More quiet. I can see why she slit her wrists, I just don't see how. My mom really wasn't that kind of person."

"Jace," Clary started.

"I know. There's something wrong with me. It's morbid. It's fucked up. I _know._ "

"I wasn't going to say that. I just wanted to make sure you know that you don't have to keep these thoughts to yourself. I'm here to listen, and everyone else is too."

Jace, somewhat wobbly, stood up. He slowly sat down next to Clary and pulled her body towards hers. Clary snuggled into him.

"I just don't understand," Jace said again. "My mom hated the sight of blood."

Clary shrugged. "The mind can be a confusing place."

"I'm an orphan now," Jace said quietly. Clary was silent. She didn't know what to say.

"I don't know what to do," Jace said numbly.

"Celebrate their lives the best you can," Clary responded. "That's what you do."

"The five year anniversary for dad's death is within the next few weeks and I don't think I can deal with it on my own," Jace whispered hoarsely.

Clary was shocked at this brutal honestly that Jace was providing- he normally wasn't forthcoming on his fears, even to her.

"You won't be alone," Clary pressed. "You have Maryse. the Lightwood's. Jon. And me. You will not be alone. Never again."

For a long time, they stayed there in that same position, with Jace's face pressed into Clary's shoulder and Clary comforting him, silently crying plenty of tears of her own.

* * *

"Don't look at him weirdly," Alec muttered to Isabelle when they received a text from Clary saying that her and Jace were coming back to the house from the dock to have dinner with Maryse and the rest of the family.

"Of course not," Isabelle whispered back.

Maryse had kicked everyone out of the kitchen, and was furiously cooking up a little bit of everyone's favorites that evening. She had yet to mention that her personal stylist had been frozen on the couch as she walked into her home, knowing she had technically given him the weeks she was out of town off.

"Does she know about Magnus yet?" Isabelle asked him.

Alec shook his head. "I don't even think she noticed him. And if she did, then I guess that just means our relationship is out in the open now. No big deal."

"Aren't you worried that she'll fire him or something?"

Alec shrugged. "I'm trying to remain optimistic."

Isabelle slowly grinned. "Since when have you ever attempted to be optimistic?"

Alec smiled back. "I don't know. Maybe he has that effect on me."

The two were startled at the sound of the sliding glass door opening and closing, admitting Clary and Jace hand in hand.

"I'm so glad you guys don't have to hide from us anymore. You two are too cute," Izzy gushed.

"Thanks, Iz," Clary grinned.

"Jace, you will not believe what I found in the basement earlier," Alec started, pulling out the classic board game Monopoly. "Are you ready to ruin our friendship? I figured we could somehow turn into a drinking game of sorts."

Jace smiled slightly. "You can turn anything into a drinking game if you put your mind to it."

"I want to join," Izzy said immediately.

"Me too," Clary added.

They began to set up the game but soon Maryse was calling them all to dinner.

"Where did you even hide Magnus?" Izzy said Alec in a hushed whisper.

"In my room. He's just kinda hiding out in there for tonight. It's not like mom is going to find him there."

"Oh and he's hiding in your closet, too?"

Alec stayed silent.

"You've already come out to her and dad. And yeah, they were kind of dicks about it at first but it's been a while, hasn't it?"

Alec shrugged. "He's my first serious boyfriend, Iz. I don't know if they even took my coming out seriously. I think they had hoped I would grow out of it."

"That's stupid. You're a grown ass man."

Alec was silent as he ate his dinner.

"So, Clary, Jace. You said you two dated in middle school and have now gotten back together?" Maryse asked.

"Yes," Clary said with a smile. "We never told anyone, though I think some may have suspected." She nodded at Izzy.

Izzy laughed. "I tried going through Clary's phone for evidence and everything."

"I was very careful. I would always delete our texts," Clary grinned.

"Why didn't you want anyone to know?" Maryse asked with a smile.

Clary looked at Jace who had been staring at his plate. She grabbed his hand and stroked the back of it.

"I don't know. The thrill of it? I can't really remember now that I think of it."

"It was because our parents were business partners and we thought it would make it weird if they somehow found out," Jace finally spoke up. Clary felt herself grow cold, as it always did when Jace mentioned his father.

"Then why did you keep it a secret this time?" Izzy asked.

"Clary wanted to," Jace said with a shrug. The entire table turned towards her.

Clary shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. It all seems silly now."

 _I didn't want my father to kill him._

"Mother, I'm seeing someone," Alec abruptly stated.

Everyone stared at him.

"That's...nice, Alexander," Maryse said slowly. "Who?"

Alec mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Maryse persisted.

"Your stylist, Magnus," Alec admitted.

There was a pause, and then Maryse laughed. "Oh, I already knew that."

"You did?" Alec asked.

"I noticed him sitting on the couch. Why else would he willingly stay here when he has penthouses in Paris, Rome, and Beijing?"

Alec shrugged.

"I was just waiting for you to tell me," Maryse smiled. "Magnus is wonderful, I adore him. You've made an excellent choice."

Alec exhaled loudly. "Thanks, Mom."

Once dinner was over, Alec went upstairs and came back down with Magnus. He greeted Maryse properly with several hugs and kisses, and the couple sat down with the others as they set up their game of Monopoly.

What resulted was a rowdy 5 hour game filled with laughter and shouting and slurred words and made up rules for when to drink. Clary went bankrupt almost immediately and contently watched as she rested her head on Jace's shoulder. Alec was next to go, and the last two hours of the game consisted of a vicious standoff with Isabelle and Jace, but it was all over once Jace achieved a monopoly over the railroad.

Magnus laughed at Alec when he lost and claimed that he would have done far better.

Once Jace emerged victorious he immediately fell asleep in Clary's lap, and she gently stroked his hair.

Alec smiled at them. "How is he?" he asked.

Clary shrugged. "He's alright, I suppose. Thank you for bringing out Monopoly, though. I think it helped distract him."

Alec nodded absently.

Before they could continue their conversation, Clary's phone beeped and she pulled it out to find a text from Jonathan.

 **Dad's home**

Her heart sunk. Her father was the last person she wanted to see right now.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked, sensing her nervous energy.

"It's nothing," Clary shrugged, trying to diffuse the tension.

 **Where are you? He's looking for you**

A knock at the door causes Clary to jump straight out of her seat, causing Jace's head to fall out of her lap and onto the ground. It would have possibly been humorous in another setting, but her fear of her father took priority in her mind at that present moment.

She considering hiding behind the couch. She considered jumping out a window. She even considered taking a knife from the kitchen and just stabbing herself right then and there so she wouldn't have to face her father.

But she did none of those things.

She stood tall as she watched Alec get up and walk toward the door.

She listened intently as he opened the door.

"Oh, hello Mr. Morgenstern," Alec said, sounded surprised.

"Hello, Alexander," Clary heard her father say. "My, it has been quite some time, hasn't it? You really shot up."

Alec laughed lightly. "I suppose I did. Come on in."

He led Valentine into the kitchen and flashed Clary a confused look. The terror she felt in her chest just grew more and more tumultuous.

"May I interest you in anything to drink?" Alec asked.

"No, that's quite alright," Valentine sighed. "Do you happen to know where my daughter is?"

"I'm here," Clary said, walking into the kitchen slowly.

"Ah, Clarissa, there you are," her father said with a tight smile. "I need you to come home right now. It's urgent." He glanced at Alec. "Family emergency."

"Yes, of course," Clary stuttered, refusing to look him in the eye because she knew that tone of voice her father was using. It was very similar tone to the voice he had used right before he attempted to drown her.

"Excellent," Valentine replied, crossing his arms behind his back. Without another retort, he turned toward the door and exited.

Clary began to follow but Alec grabbed her arm.

"Clary, he technically can't boss you around. You are an adult."

"Not until tomorrow I'm not," Clary responded.

Alec frowned. "I don't like this. Something about him just now...I can't quite put my finger on it but it was very unsettling."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Alec. Really," Clary lied. "My dad just gets tense sometimes."

Alec slowly let go of Clary's arm and nodded. "If anything happens you know you can come over here."

"Thank you, Alec."

* * *

Valentine was waiting outside the door as Clary exited the Lightwood home.

"Some loyal friends you've found yourself here," Valentine commented.

"Yes, sir," Clary said with a nod.

When they reached the Morgenstern estate, Valentine began to walk toward backyard and toward the docks.

"Some wonderful friends. Do any of these friends include a certain Jonathan Herondale, by any chance?" Valentine asked, turning towards her slowly.

Clary felt her blood then to ice.

"I suppose," she answered blankly.

Valentine snorted. "You suppose." He shook his head. "You know, I have ears all around here. You should know by now that there is absolutely nothing you can keep from me. I know you are sleeping with him like the common whore you are."

Clary remained silent.

"When one is intimate with another, it's astonishing how quickly the secrets begin to come out. Pillow talk, you know." Valentine began fidgeting with his Morgenstern ring on his finger. He turned toward her.

"Celine Herondale confronted me a night or so ago. Telling me she knew of the circumstances of her husband's death and how she had proof of my involvement in it. She had to be taken care of, of course," Valentine said casually, as if he were discussing the specials of the day.

Clary swallowed hard. Jace was an orphan primarily because of her father. He killed both of Jace's parents. Her boyfriend was in agony because of the actions of _her father_. She resisted the urge to vomit.

"They said Celine killed herself. Slit her wrists."

"That's what we made it look like," Valentine rolled his eyes. "Please, Clary. My people aren't amateurs. And Celine was unstable. She probably would've done it herself eventually anyway. It was merciful. I've saved her from the years of paralyzing depression she would have faced had I not taken care of her. Your boyfriend should thank me."

With those words, something in Clary snapped.

"You sicken me," she told him. Valentine turned his head in fury.

"Do you think I give a damn about how you feel, Clarissa? This is your fault. If you hadn't told your boyfriend the truth about Stephen and he hadn't told his mommy then she wouldn't be dead now. Try to explain to your boyfriend how you both killed his mother."

Fury filled Clary. "I didn't tell Jace anything, I promise you. I have kept your secret close for years. I haven't told a soul."

Valentine casually pulled a gun out of dress pants, which had been shielded by his suit jacket. Clary froze, reminded of the time her father pressed a gun to her forehead five years before.

"I don't believe you. Happy Birthday, Clarissa."

And with that, her father pointed the gun to her chest and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Jace awoke face down on the ground. Besides a few spots in his vision and a brief period of dizziness, he felt generally okay. He sat up and looked around, finding Alec sitting across from him looking deeply troubled.

"Where's Clary?" he asked groggily.

"She went home with her father."

"He's in town?" Jace asked with surprise. "I didn't know that."

"Neither did Clary. I think he just got here."

"I guess it makes sense, with Clary's birthday being tomorrow and all."

Alec nodded slowly, his troubled expression not fading. "What has Clary told you about her dad?"

Jace frowned, trying to rack his brain.

"Not much," he said. "They just don't get along, like, at all. When we were younger they used to fight all the time. She would come over sometimes afterward to cool off. And then at the beginning of this summer I found her crying on her dock after his visit." Jace shook his head. "He seems like a huge dick."

"He had this crazed look in his eyes," Alec muttered. "I can't even describe it. But I feared for my own safety in that moment. And I feared for Clary's as well."

Jace sighed. "I need to make sure she's okay." He started to get up.

"It was clear that Valentine wanted to be alone with her," Alec stated.

"If you were worried for her safety, that's irrelevant."

As they began to argue, a gunshot echoed through the neighborhood. Jace's heart fell into his stomach.

"Oh my God," Alec whispered.

Together, they sprinted to the backyard, toward the sound of the gunshot.

* * *

Clary felt like she was on fire. She could feel her blood pooling out of her body. She could feel her pulse quickly weakening, and her breaths were already becoming more and more difficult.

 _This is the end_ , she had decided. Her panic subsided as she accepted her fate. Gone were her thoughts of her regrets and everything she had not yet accomplished. There was nothing she could do about it, now. The thought was kind of relieving. Clary already felt so much lighter.

"What the fuck is happening here!" Clary heard her brother exclaim. She also heard other footsteps running toward her, and a male voice desperately calling 911. The last thing she heard was more footsteps, running past her now, and several more gunshots. She flinched as each one sounded. She blacked out.

* * *

Clary later woke in a hospital bed, her hand being grasped by an exhausted looking Jace.

"Clary?" he asked with a hushed voice when he saw her eyelids begin to flutter. "NURSE!"

She later found out that, luckily, her father had never been the one to act upon the assassinations he had ordered. This was lucky because this meant his aim wasn't as great as his employees' were, and the bullet didn't hit her in a spot that would have killed her instantly.

She did however almost die from blood loss, despite Alec's every effort to stop the bleeding, and she fell into a coma for a few days.

The other gunshots she had heard as she was losing consciousness had been from when Jonathan and Jace attempted to charge Valentine and he had tried to fight back. Luckily, the two managed to dodge his bullets.

Jace was successfully able to tear the gun from Valentine's hands after a great struggle but soon after Valentine held his own son in a choke hold, forcing Jace to have to aim very carefully at Valentine's head, delivering the fatal blow.

"My father is dead?" Clary asked with a croak as the group gently broke the news to her with a social worker a few hours after she had awoken.

"Yes," Jace responded solemnly.

"Will you be okay?" she asked. "You won't get charged for murder, will you?"

Jace shrugged. "It was an act of self defense."

A tear fell down Clary's eye. Not of sadness, but of relief. Of gratitude. "Thank you," she whispered.

Her tormentor would gone, forever. She was free.

* * *

 _ **A few years later**_

Maintaining a long distance relationship in college was hard. So hard that Jace and Clary mutually decided to give up trying after six months.

They went through their college years trying not to think of each other, but they always were- especially during their nightmares of the events that had taken place the evening before Clary officially became a legal adult.

They still saw each other each summer, of course, but at a different lake. Jonathan and Clary sold the Morgenstern property at Rolling Morris and never looked back. Jace followed suit, along with the Lightwood's and Penhallow's.

Now they ruled a different community on a different lake in the state of New York, and they were perfectly content.

Each summer when they saw each other, it got less weird. As time went on, they grew comfortable with each other again. And once college ended, they spent a lot more time together. And fell in love all over again.

Alec and Magnus really kick started it with their wedding. Clary and Jace hooked up at the wedding after not having seen each other for at least a year and a half, and the rest was history. Simon and Izzy had hooked up at that wedding as well, and were also going strong.

A year later, Jace popped the question. And Clary said yes, of course.

One evening while relaxing in their new apartment, Clary rolled over towards Jace and made an interesting suggestion.

"I want to go back," she said.

"Go back where?" Jace asked distractedly as he continued to read his book.

"Rolling Morris."

Jace frowned and glanced at her. "Are you sure? Don't you worry it would be potentially triggering to you?"

Clary shrugged. "I need to face my fears eventually, don't I?"

That was how Clary, Jace, and Jonathan found themselves visiting Rolling Morris.

Or what remained of it. When they arrived, it was nothing but rubble and reconstruction.

"I guess no one wanted to buy the cursed property that was the sight of one murder and another attempted one," Jace mused.

The trio sat in the road and stared at their former vacation homes that used to be full of memories of joy but now were just full of ghosts.

"I have something to admit," Jonathan said after a great period of silence. Clary and Jace turned toward him in wonder.

"You said Dad shot you because he thought you told Celine about his...business, correct?"

Clary nodded. "Yes."

"But you hadn't told anyone?"

Clary shook her head. "No. Not a soul."

Jonathan sighed. "I was the one who told Celine about Dad's business. Dad introduced me to it when he had visited the month or so before. As if it was a business to be proud of. He had hoped I would inherit the business."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Clary asked, bewildered. "Why now?"

Jonathan shrugged. "I felt so fucking guilty. That bullet should've been mine. I was the one who had betrayed him or whatever. I don't know why he thought it was you."

"Probably because he was raging sexist who hated me and is hopefully burning in hell?" Clary suggested.

Jonathan laughed lightly. "Something like that, I guess."

Jace put his hand in hers in a comforting gesture. Clary reached down and kissed the knuckles of his hand.

"Well, I forgive you. It's all behind us now, just like this stupid lake will be when we get up. Come on, let's go." She stood up, dragging Jace up with her.

And with that, the three of them had turned away from the ghosts of their past. Hand in hand with Jace, Clary found herself finally at peace and eagerly awaiting the future her fiancé and brother and best friends would bring her rather than obsessing over her past. And that was the greatest victory over Valentine of all.

* * *

 **THE END**

 **Well cool cool cool I finally finished this fic (I wasn't sure if I would finish it or die first if I'm being quite honest.)**

 **Thank you for reading and joining me on this journey!** **I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review if it tickles your fancy. Reviews are wayyyy better than summer reading (which I have to get to now. Dammit.)**

 **Also if you saw my error when I originally published this chapter please pretend you didn't see that it was a note from my beta I forgot to delete lol please forgive me it's 2 am**

 **Till next time,**

 **-hufflepuffamity**


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